03-14-2008, 05:09 PM
Quote:Triarius:d77xgp51 Wrote:Yes, marsvigilia, we know that. I'm looking for the specific name that would distinguish Chinese barbarians from other barbarians.
What did the Romans call China?
The Greeks and Romans called the Chinese "Seres" and China "Serica".
~Theo
Both many times "Seres" actually seemed to refer more to the Indians, for example in the context of the use of elephants and also the import of silk, which often came from India rather than China. In some cases, one cannot attribute Seres to any known tribe or peoples. It is just the case that the Romans were making observations on the very edge of their known world, and at the outer limit of experience judgments are always fuzzy, so are Roman references to the Seres.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
