Antakya, Turkey, Silk Road Challenge Completed!

Antakya, historically known as Antioch, held its greatest importance in antiquity when it was founded in 300 BCE by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals. Located in a valley on the banks of the Orontes River and surrounded by mountains, Antakya is in modern-day Turkey, the eighth and final country on this journey. Serving as the capital of the Seleucid Empire and later as the provincial capital of the Roman and Byzantine empires, Antioch flourished, becoming one of the largest and most influential cities in the region.

Around the 1st century BCE, glassblowing was developed in the region. This technique made glass production cheaper and faster, allowing artisans to create various items. Early Romans showed little interest in glass, preferring older methods like mosaic glass ('millefiori', as often seen in Venice's famous Murano glass designs). However, by the turn of the 1st century CE, under the first emperor, Augustus, a period of peace and prosperity ensued. This led to the migration of skilled artisans, whose creations helped spread the rising interest in glass across the empire, reaching Rome via trade routes like the Silk Road.

However, Antioch's location near active fault lines meant devastating earthquakes frequently struck it. The constant rebuilding over the centuries caused much of the ancient city to be lost or buried, and little survives from its early periods.

As Antioch neared the end of the 11th century, the city and surrounding region were besieged by the First Crusade, followed by the rise of Islamic rule under leaders like Saladin in the 12th century. Saladin brought stability and prosperity to the region, reopening trade routes to cities like Antioch, which had previously been redirected through Egypt. However, it wasn't until the 13th century that the Silk Road entered a new era under Mongol rule. For the first time in history, nearly the entire length of the Silk Road was controlled by a single power. Trade routes shifted north to the Black Sea, and Antioch's prosperity declined.

As the Mongol Empire fragmented in the 14th century and the Ottoman Empire restricted trade to the West in the 15th century, Europeans turned to maritime routes, which proved safer, faster, and more efficient for long-distance trade, leading to the overland Silk Road's decline.

For 1,500 years, the Silk Road connected diverse empires and civilisations, with goods flowing along its routes and caravanserais serving as rest stops for merchants and travellers. Camels, indispensable for crossing vast deserts, were key to the network's success. Intellectual exchanges flourished through advancements in science, medicine, and philosophy, while explorers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta chronicled their journeys and insights. This vast trade network bridged cultures, nurtured innovation and left a lasting legacy, shaping the interconnected world we know today.