香料貿易在西方文明發展過程中，扮演重要角色。自古埃及帝國便不斷努力，透過紅海航路，從印度購買各種香料，為便於運送，還特意開鑿運河，打通尼羅河三角洲與紅海間的水運交通。羅馬帝國在控制埃及等地後，也繼續經營這條貿易路線。阿拉伯商人接著建立陸路運輸系統後，透過紅海與波斯灣，將印度生產的香料由陸路轉運到地中海沿岸，再交由威尼斯商人行銷歐洲各地。香料貿易的內容越來越廣泛，使用者越來越多，利潤十分可觀。中世紀控制埃及的馬穆陸克蘇丹國（Mamluk Sultanate）及後來崛起的鄂圖曼帝國（The Ottoman Empire），均盡力維護這條商道，賺取可觀的利益。此時，紅海與波斯灣貿易路線聯繫了東西兩個世界，文化與物質的交流不斷。15世紀末，葡萄牙人打通了經由大西洋通往印度洋的海路，發現了當地盛產的香料。葡萄牙不僅藉由香料貿易致富，更希望壟斷香料貿易市場，因此發動數次戰爭封鎖紅海與波斯灣的貿易路線，又在印度及東南亞建立據點。地中海貿易資源逐漸乾涸，大西洋—印度洋貿易則蒸蒸日上，商品的內容也不限於香料，瓷器、蔗糖及各種工藝品都能運輸到歐洲販售，文化交流又向前跨了一大步。本文旨在論述古代以來地中海貿易的樣態、16世紀以後沒落的原因，以及大西洋—印度洋貿易興起的關鍵。

The spice trade played a significant role in the advance of Western civilization. Ancient Egypt made continuous efforts to purchase spices from India via the Red Sea route. To facilitate transport, it purposely dug a canal to open up water transport between the Nile Delta and the Red Sea. The Roman Empire continued to operate through this trade route. Arab merchants built the land transport system through the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and transported spices from India to the Mediterranean coast, then sold it to the merchants of Venice to sell all over Europe. The collection of spices became more extensive, and, with a growing number of consumers, the profit was considerable. Both the Mamluk Sultanate that controlled Egypt in the Middle Ages and the Ottoman Empire that arose later strived to maintain the business route for substantial profits. During this period, the trade route in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf linked the cultural and commodity exchange between East and West. In the late 15th century, the Portuguese opened up the sea route to the Indian Ocean through the Atlantic, and discovered the rich supplies of local spices in the region. Portugal not only acquired wealth through the seaborne trade but also hoped to monopolize the spice trade market. Therefore, it waged several wars to block the trade routes in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and established fortresses in India and Southeast Asia. The creation of the Estado da India made the idea of sovereignty over the seas a reality, with Portuguese war fleets dominating the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. These years also saw the wealth and power of Venice undermined by the establishment of the new trade route to the east. This paper aims to elaborate on the patterns of traditional Mediterranean trade, the cause of its downfall after the 16th century, and the new circumstances after the rise of the Atlantic-Indian seaborne trade.