Shopping the spice and silk routes.

Starting in the first century B.C. people in Asia and Europe were linked by the spice and silk routes. These were the most renowned trading routes throughout history. They wove their way from Asia and Europe through a system of ports, towns, cities and roads.
Wealth grew for those involved for those who were part of the route.
The silk routes were connected by land and began in Changan travelling along the Great Wall of China over the Pamir Mountains. From there they went through Iran and Afghanistan to the Mediterranean Sea.
The spice routes were by sea. They had their base in the Indonesian islands from there they went to China Japan and India eventually reaching the Mediterranean.
The towns along the way became places of commerce where buying and selling took place. They were also the places where supplies for the journey were purchased. Money was plentiful and the bankers made credit available. Those in power in these cities were able to charge duties on the goods so they to made a profit.
In every city there was a market where people went to buy and sell. These markets were organised according to product. All goods that were the same were put together and those items, which were of particular value, were placed in a secure part of the bazaar.
An equivalent of a modern day motel was devised. Caravensaries were places where people could stop on their journey, have a rest and a meal and change their caravans.
The silk route could be dangerous, because of bandits, and sandstorms. The responsibility was shared as the goods were handed from one to another along the way.
 But until the 19th century with the advent of the railway this was the only overland trading route.