The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous ... - Cd3wd.com

70 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF SILK
opians of Arabia, l3ut found this to be impracticable, as the
Persian merchants frequented the ports to which the Indians
resorted, and from them purchased all their cargoes.
Procopius further states [Hist. Arcana, c. 25.), that silk
shawls had long been manufactured in the Phoenician cities
Tyre and Berytus (to which all who were concerned in the
silk trade, either as merchants or manufacturers, consequently
resorted, and from whence goods were carried to every part of
the earth) ; but that in the reign of Justinian the manufactu-
rers in Byzantium and other Greek cities raised the prices of
their goods, alleging that the Persians had also advanced theirs,
while the imposts were increased among the Romans. Justin-
ian, pretending to be much concerned at the high prices, for-
bade any one in his dominions to sell silk for more than eight
aurei per pound, threatening confiscation of goods against any
one who transgressed the law. To comply was impossible,
since they were required to sell their goods at a price lower than
that for which they bought them. They therefore abandoned
the trade, and secretly sold the remnant of their goods for what
they could get. The Empress Theodora, on being apprised of
this, immediately seized the goods and fined the proprietors a
hundred aurei besides. It was then determined, that the silk
manufacture should be carried on solely by the Imperial Treas-
urer. Peter Barsames held the ofllice, and conducted him-
self in relation to this business in the most unjust and oppres-
sive manner, so that the silk-trade was ruined not only in By-
zantium but also at Tyre and Berytus, while the Emperor,
Empress and their Treasurer amassed great wealth by the
monopoly.
MENANDER PROTECTOR, A. D. 560-570.
In an account of an embassy sent to Constantinople by the
Avars of Sarmatia, this author states, that the Emperor Jus-
tinian endeavored to excite their admiration by a display of
splendid couches, gold chains, and garments of silk*.
The establishment of the Turkish power in Asia, about the
Corp. Hist. Byzant. ed. 1729. torn. i. p. 67.