[German version]

(Σῆρες/Sêres, Latin also Serae), the 'silk people' (cf. Chinese sī, 'silk' [12]). The mention of silk (σηρικά/sēriká), formerly ascribed to Nearchus [2] ([1]; FGrH 133 F 19), turned out to be an addition by Strabo [5. 110¹]; the citation of Apollodorus of Artemita in Str. 11,11,1 is equally questionable: [1. 347; 5.109]. The silk parapetásmata ('curtains') of Caesar's games (Cass. Dio 43,24,2) and the Parthians' silk standards in the war with Crassus (Flor. Epit. 1,46,8) are unequivocal cases of Chinese goods. It is Augustan liter…