Trade on the Silk Road played a significant role in the development of the civilizations of the East.
Silk Road . Trade on the Silk Road played a significant role in the development of the civilizations of China , the Goguryeo kingdom ( Korea ) , Japan , the Indian subcontinent , Persia , Europe , the Horn of Africa and Arabia , opening long-distance political and economic relations between the civilizations . In addition to economic trade , the Silk Road was a route for cultural trade among the civilizations along its network .