Linen, spices and silk came to Rome from East Asia. The Romans were very dependent on imports to sustain the empire. Maintenance of trade routes was paramount for the Romans.
<em>Trade was important for Ancient Rome and a large sum of money was spent on running the trade.</em> The trade also was a source of money and providing the roman citizens with goods which the people of Rome needed. The Roman cities were densely populated. This trade happened through land and sea routes. A wide variety of goods and materials were imported which included corn, glassware, Iron, Lead, dye, silk, and timber. Spain, France, North Africa, and the middle east were its main trading partners. The Mediterranean and Black sea routes were frequently used for seaborne trade. Silk and Porcelain were the major import items from East Asia. Spices were imported from India.
