The history of Asia is full of stories of peoples, places and states that have vanished and been forgotten over the years. Their importance has been lost and their history disappeared. This is largely true of the Sogdian people, who occupied a vital role in the administration of the Chinese and Mongolian empires but who have now slunk into obscurity.
Sogdians hail from what is now known as Uzbekistan and occupied a land, therefore, which was at something of a crossroads between India and the rich lands of Persia to the west and south and the fertile stretches of China to the east, across the desert. Sogdiana was, consequently, a regular target for the nomads from the Steppes, as well as occasionally resurgent enemies in all other directions. The result was that, in order to survive, Sogdians made themselves into traders and administrators par excellence. Dressed in their characteristic peaked Phrygian caps, Sogdians established temples and trading houses across the extent of Asia, from Merv in the west to the borders of Korea in the east. To promote their efficiency, merchants from other ethnic groups were encouraged to join in with their ventures and many north Indians traders and others were glad to do so. Caravans of several dozen merchants and their associates or more traversed the Silk Road and the other established trade routes of Asia. Periods of stability and strong rule of law benefited trade and the Sogdians rose to new heights of influence in the aftermath of the establishment of the Mongol Empire by Genghis Khan.
The Sogdians were, nevertheless, a diverse people and included worshippers of Mazdaism, Nestorian Christianity and Buddhism among their numbers. In many cities, temples and churches were set up by Sogdians in support of their preferred faith and these became known for having the secondary purpose of trade facilitation, places that is where money could be changed, promissory notes written and bonds exchanged. Their specialty goods included slaves (especially singers and ‘dancers’ from the west), silk and musk. However, they did not have things all their own way. Competitors included the Khotanese and the Persians, who traded more by sea than by land. There was also the network of traders associated with the Radhanites, who were part of the Jewish diaspora.
After the Revolt of An Lushan, China’s Tang Dynasty began a decline which caused the loss of much of their territory and influence in Central Asia. This made it more dangerous to conduct trade at long-distance as bandits and local warlords flourished where once Imperial Officers held sway. The Sogdians themselves were divided into pro and anti-Arab factions and it was the Arabs who were now seeking to dominate the region. Slowly, Sogdians became soldiers rather than traders and eventually some groups attempted to establish a Samanid Dynasty in lands that had traditionally been Sogdian.
References and Further Reading
De La Vaissiere, Etienne, Histoire des Marchands Sogdiens (Paris: Bibliotheque de l'Institut des Hautes Etudes Chinoises, 2002), in French.
John Walsh, Shinawatra University, March 2007
John Walsh - I am a lecturer in business with a wide range of interests. These include anything relating to East and Southeast Asia, especially history ...
