Angkor's Silk Roads: The Khmer Empire's Global Trade Networks

When we think of Angkor, we picture temple spires rising from the jungle. But the Khmer Empire was also a powerhouse of international trade, connected to China, India, Persia, and beyond. This episode follows the silk, spices, and ceramics that flowed through Angkor's markets, the Chinese and Arab merchants who sailed up the Mekong, and the toll roads and ports that made it possible. We explore the role of the Tonle Sap as a trade artery, the goods the Khmers exported—including exotic forest products like cardamom and benzoin—and the foreign influences that shaped Khmer art and architecture. We also look at the decline of trade networks as the empire waned, and how economic shifts may have contributed to Angkor's fall. Lucas and Luna unpack the story of a civilization that was never truly lost, but always connected. #KhmerEmpire #AngkorWat #SilkRoads #IndianOceanTrade #TonleSap #ZhouDaguan #MekongRiver #KhmerTrade #SoutheastAsianHistory #MedievalTrade #Camphor #Benzoin #ChineseMerchants #PersianGulf #Champa #Srivijaya #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo