Question

Who brought goods and ideas from the East, including classical learning that had been preserved in the Byzantine Empire as well classical reading that were then read by Europeans.

Answer 1

Merchants and Crusaders

Answer 2

This entirely depends on the age/time in which the prompt has not given, however, most likely your answer will be traders or "explorers".

During the Byzantine Empire, they did create a system of trade that connected Western Europe (Old Roman Empire) using well-guarded trade routes that connected into what can later be known as the Silk Road, which was an overland route that brought Europeans to China.

Explorers usually occurred later on (such as Marco Polo), who went eastward in search of precious material, and, if lucky, would end up in Asia. There, they documented many of what they see there, and would bring back to Europe ideas as well as products. These could include ideas of confucianism, as well as silk, medicine, and other products.

Explorers & Traders are your answer.

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