Final answer:
The 'Silk Road' was established during the Han Dynasty around 114 BC, serving as a vast network for trade and cultural exchange between China and various regions, including Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
Step-by-step explanation:
Spanning over 5,000 miles and established during the Han Dynasty in China around 114 BC, the Silk Road was an integral part of the sharing of manufactured goods, cultures and philosophies, and helped develop the great civilizations of the world. The Silk Roads facilitated the exchange of goods such as silk and spices, technological innovations like papermaking, and the spread of cultural traditions and religions, including Buddhism and Islam. The trading networks extended from China, through Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, to the Mediterranean basin. Although the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty were never in direct contact, their goods, such as Chinese silk and Roman glassware, were traded along these routes. The caravan routes also brought new ideas to China such as Buddhism from India and created connections spanning across Eurasia.