The Silk Road

Tracing the story of the most famous trade route in history, Dr. Sam Willis reveals how an emperor's desire for silk spawned a network of trading paths that would span thousands of miles, and be used by merchants, traders, envoys, and others.

Dr. Sam Willis travels west to Central Asia to learn about the history of the Sogdians.

Dr. Sam Willis journeys west to the ancient capital of Byzantium to discover how the eastern Roman Empire was ruled through silk, and how Venetian merchants cashed in on the wealth and trade it generated.