<P> Prior to Roman expansion, the various peoples of the subcontinent had established strong maritime trade with other countries . The dramatic increase in South Asian ports, however, did not occur until the opening of the Red Sea by the Greeks and the Romans and the attainment of geographical knowledge concerning the region's seasonal monsoons . In fact, the first two centuries of the Common Era indicate this increase in trade between present - day western India and Rome . This expansion of trade was due to the comparative peace established by the Roman Empire during the time of Augustus (23 September 63 BC--19 August AD 14), which allowed for new explorations . </P> <P> The replacement of Greece by the Roman empire as the administrator of the Mediterranean basin led to the strengthening of direct maritime trade with the east and the elimination of the taxes extracted previously by the middlemen of various land - based trading routes . Strabo's mention of the vast increase in trade following the Roman annexation of Egypt indicates that monsoon was known and manipulated for trade in his time . </P> <P> The trade started by Eudoxus of Cyzicus in 130 BCE kept increasing, and according to Strabo (II. 5.12 .), writing some 150 years later: </P> <P> At any rate, when Gallus was prefect of Egypt, I accompanied him and ascended the Nile as far as Syene and the frontiers of Kingdom of Aksum (Ethiopia), and I learned that as many as one hundred and twenty vessels were sailing from Myos Hormos to the subcontinent, whereas formerly, under the Ptolemies, only a very few ventured to undertake the voyage and to carry on traffic in Indian merchandise . </P>

Who was trading in the indian ocean network