THE ability to trade quickly and reliably across great distances has changed the way we live. People in the remotest areas can buy almost anything online and have it delivered to their doorstep faster than ever before. In a way, this has brought convenience and the potential to earn a living to many parts of the world.
However, it hasn’t always been this way. Centuries ago, independent and powerful city states emerged in parts of the world that had access to trading ports or were built on overland trading routes. Traders would travel from afar to trade items that they had in abundance, and which were unique to their
