By Dr. Michel Tranet
Read: The Presence of Romans in Angkor-Borei [Ancient Cambodia]
PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - The relationship between Nokor
Phnom/Funan, the initial Khmer state, and other colonies such as the
Romans and the ancient Iranians, was made through major Indian merchants
in the Gulf of Siam as well as the area of O-Keo seaport of Angkor
Borei city in Takeo province, also known as Vyadhapura or To-mu by the
Chinese.
Although there are no documents verifying the presence of Greco-Roman people in the Funan Empire, there is a huge amount of archeological evidence verifying this alliance was made in the 2nd century BC and continued into the 1st or 2nd century AD.
The majority of trade was in the form of jewelry made of gold, silver and glass as well as precious gems, coins and beads. There were also utensils such as lamps and spoons which were clearly the arts of the Greco-Roman Empire.
Inscriptions on coins and statues representing the Roman king found in O-Keo, Angkor Borei, U Thong, and Pong-Tuk in Kanchanaburi province, present Thailand (former Khmer territory), indicate that these artifacts were made in the 2nd century BC as well as the 2nd and 3rd century AD. This is important data that needs to be recorded.
Although there are no documents verifying the presence of Greco-Roman people in the Funan Empire, there is a huge amount of archeological evidence verifying this alliance was made in the 2nd century BC and continued into the 1st or 2nd century AD.
The majority of trade was in the form of jewelry made of gold, silver and glass as well as precious gems, coins and beads. There were also utensils such as lamps and spoons which were clearly the arts of the Greco-Roman Empire.
Inscriptions on coins and statues representing the Roman king found in O-Keo, Angkor Borei, U Thong, and Pong-Tuk in Kanchanaburi province, present Thailand (former Khmer territory), indicate that these artifacts were made in the 2nd century BC as well as the 2nd and 3rd century AD. This is important data that needs to be recorded.
It should be noted that coins found in the city of Bactriane bore the same shapes as those of the Greek arts .The Roman beads, which were distributed throughout the Nokor Phnom Empire or Funan (Sumatra, Thailand, South Vietnam and present Cambodia) were also from this period or a little bit later till the 7th century.
In short, even though Chinese documents do not note any of this information, we can conclude that Greco-Roman trade relations were established in the 2nd century BC continuing until later times.
Beads from Greco-Roman empire (Museam of Ethnology, Toul Kork) and private collection
Economic development enabled Khmer citizens in big cities of the Mountain Kingdom, particularly the elite class, access to valuable objects and ornaments from overseas. A diverse and prosperous culture flourished in the pre-Angkor period of Funan as evidenced by such artifacts as rings and necklaces made from gold, silver, bronze and gemstones as well as beads and glass.
Some writers state that during Pre-Angkor period, Funan was not recognized but archeological discoveries contest this assumption, proving that this state built in the early 1st century AD, held international relations.
Lamp from Thai National Museum, Beads and gold ornaments
from Angkor Borei Museum of Ethnology, Toul Kork
In conclusion it can be said that although this state was initially established through Indianization, it later built economic, political and cultural relationships with foreign countries including the Chinese and the Roman Empires since the early 1st and 2nd century AD. It is in this context that some of the Greco-Roman artifacts were found at the former border stations of Funan.
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