For a millennium and a half, India stood at the heart of the ancient world, exporting a rich and influential civilisation across Eurasia. William Dalrymple traces the Golden Road from the Red Sea to the Pacific, showing how Indian art, religions, technology, astronomy, music, literature, mythology and mathematics transformed societies far beyond the subcontinent. From trade with Rome and the spread of Buddhism to Angkor Wat and the origins of zero, this vivid history reveals India as a powerful engine of cultural and technological exchange.
Why You Should Read?
- Discover how Indian ideas, beliefs and artistic traditions travelled across ancient Eurasia.
- Explore connections between India, Rome, China, Southeast Asia and the wider ancient world.
- Understand the historical importance of trade, mathematics, technology and religious exchange.
- Enjoy an engaging, richly researched account from a celebrated historian and storyteller.
About the Author
William Dalrymple is an award-winning historian and bestselling author whose work explores the history, cultures and legacies of India and the wider world. His books include The Anarchy, and he is also the co-host of the chart-topping Empire podcast. Drawing on a lifetime of scholarship, Dalrymple combines archival research with vivid narrative to illuminate the people, ideas and connections that shaped the past.