While Angkor’s temples dominate modern imagination, the true engine of the Khmer Empire was its vast network of maritime and riverine trade routes. This episode explores how Jayavarman VII’s conquests opened new commercial arteries, connecting the heartland to India, China, and the Srivijaya thalassocracy. We examine the archaeological evidence from the port city of Kompong Luong and the inscriptions that reveal a cosmopolitan elite trading in spices, textiles, and precious metals. Lucas and Luna discuss how the empire’s wealth wasn't just extracted from local agriculture but flowed through a sophisticated system of tolls, guilds, and diplomatic gifts. By looking at the material culture found in secondary temple foundations and the detailed accounts of foreign merchants, we uncover a side of Angkor that was deeply integrated into the global economy of medieval Southeast Asia, challenging the idea of it as an isolated jungle kingdom.
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