5th to 11th centuries: the world's spice trade in turmoil In 410 AD, the Visigoths sacked Rome. The ransom amounted to several thousand pounds of pepper. This was followed by a period when the world spice trade came to a halt (notably following the invasion of North Africa by the barbarians). For 400 years, all traffic between kingdoms ceased; laws, religions, arts and sciences seemed threatened by a...Continue Reading