Today in History: July 8th: Vasco da Gama

Print Page | Close Window

July 8th: Vasco da Gama

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: General History
Forum Name: Today in History
Forum Discription: What happened today in history? Come in to find out and discuss with fellow forumers!
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35643
Printed Date: 25-Apr-2024 at 08:58
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.56a - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: July 8th: Vasco da Gama

Posted By: LeopoldPhilippe
Subject: July 8th: Vasco da Gama
Date Posted: 08-Jul-2015 at 20:20

On July 8, 1497, Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departed on his first voyage.
He became the first European to reach India by sea.

Replies:

Posted By: Sidney
Date Posted: 09-Jul-2015 at 10:46

The Romans were sailing to India over a thousand years before Vasco de Gama.
He was the first European to travel from Europe to India exclusively by sea.

Posted By: Mosquito
Date Posted: 09-Jul-2015 at 15:40

Originally posted by Sidney

The Romans were sailing to India over a thousand years before Vasco de Gama.
He was the first European to travel from Europe to India exclusively by sea.

Do you know any Roman source describing the trip to India or India?

-------------
"I am a pure-blooded Polish nobleman, without a single drop of bad blood, certainly not German blood" - Friedrich Nietzsche

Posted By: Sidney
Date Posted: 09-Jul-2015 at 17:09

The first I recall is Strabo in his Geographica 2.5.12;

…We were with Gallus when he was prefect of Egypt [25 BC], and we travelled with him as far as Syene and the frontiers of Ethiopia, where we learned that as many as 120 ships were sailing from Myos Hormos to India…

Posted By: Mosquito
Date Posted: 09-Jul-2015 at 19:53

So there is only an acount of Romans going to the border between Egypt and Ethiopia, not about Romans going to India.

-------------
"I am a pure-blooded Polish nobleman, without a single drop of bad blood, certainly not German blood" - Friedrich Nietzsche

Posted By: Sidney
Date Posted: 10-Jul-2015 at 10:49

Strabo in Book 15 writes:

"As for the merchants who now sail from Egypt by the Nile and the Arabian Gulf as far as India, only a small number have sailed as far as the Ganges; and even these are merely private citizens and of no use as regards the history of the places they have seen."

Since the merchants are sailing up the Nile, and hence coming from the Roman province, and since they are called 'private citizens', would that indicate citizens of the Roman Empire?

Posted By: radhya12
Date Posted: 06-Apr-2016 at 01:17

He is a great guy..

He is the person who came first time in our country.

Posted By: john1565
Date Posted: 26-Feb-2018 at 07:18

I can remember my school days! When I read about Vasco da Gama in text book, I love this hero a lot. He's my favourite