<Li> 2nd century: Roman traders reach Siam, Cambodia, Sumatra, and Java . </Li> <Li> 161: An embassy from Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius or his successor Marcus Aurelius reaches Chinese Emperor Huan of Han at Luoyang . </Li> <Li> 226: A Roman diplomat or merchant lands in northern Vietnam and visits Nanjing, China and the court of Sun Quan, ruler of Eastern Wu </Li> <Ul> <Li> ~ 500--1000: The Radhanites were medieval Jewish merchants who dominated trade between the Christian and Islamic worlds during the early Middle Ages and travelled as far as Tang dynasty China . </Li> <Li> ~ 550: Byzantine traveler and author Cosmas Indicopleustes completes his work Christian Topography describing geographical features gleaned from his own travels to Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, and Sri Lanka . </Li> <Li> ~ 552: Two Persian monks (or perhaps emissaries disguised as monks), at the behest of Eastern Roman (Byzantine) emperor Justinian I, travel to China and smuggle silkworms back to the Eastern Roman Empire, thus enabling silk production in Europe and Asia Minor . </Li> <Li> 568: The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) general Zemarchus travels to Samarkand and the court of the Western Turkic Kaganate . </Li> <Li> 639--640: The Muslims subjugate Egypt, thus severing most direct Eastern - Roman (and hence European) trade with India and eastern Asia . </Li> <Li> 1160--1173: The Navarrese Jewish Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela visits Syria, Palestine, Baghdad, Persia, and the Arabian Peninsula . </Li> <Li> 1180--1186: Pethahiah of Regensburg goes to Baghdad . </Li> <Li> 13th century: Silk Road trade reaches its height during the height of the Pax Mongolica, the relative peace in Asia during the widespread unification under the Mongol Empire . </Li> <Li> 1245--1247: The Italian Franciscan Giovanni da Pian del Carpine appointed Papal Legate and accompanied by Stephen of Bohemia, and later by Benedykt Polak, reaches Karakorum present - day Mongolia . First European embassy to the Great Khan . </Li> <Li> 1245--1248: The Italian Ascelin of Lombardia, Simon of St Quentin and Andrew of Longjumeau go to Armenia and Persia . </Li> <Li> 1249--1251: Andrew of Longjumeau guide a French ambassador to the great Kuyuk Khan . His brother Guy and several others--John Goderiche, John of Carcassonne, Herbert "Le Sommelier", Gerbert of Sens, Robert (a clerk), a certain William, and an unnamed clerk of Poissy go with him . They reached Talas in northwestern Kyrgyzstan . </Li> <Li> ≈ 1254: The Flemish William of Rubruck reached Mongolia through Central Asia . </Li> <Li> 1264--≈ 1269: First travel of the Italians Niccolò and Maffeo Polo to China . In 1266, they reach Kublai Khan's seat at Dadu, now known as Beijing, China . </Li> <Li> 1271--1295: Second trip of Niccolò and Maffeo Polo to China . This time with Marco, Niccolo's son, who would write a colourful account of their experiences . </Li> </Ul>

Who was the first european to sail west searching for a water route to asia