One of the easternmost countries of Asia known to the ancient Greeks and Romans
For other uses, see Serica (clipper) and Serica (beetle).
A mid-15th century Florentine world map based on the 1st (modified conic) projection in Jacobus Angelus's 1406 Latin translation of Maximus Planudes's late-13th century rediscovered Greek manuscripts of Ptolemy's 2nd-century Geography. Serica is shown in the far northeast of the world.
Serica (/ˈsɛrɪkə/, Ancient Greek: Σηρικά)[1] was one of the easternmost countries of Asia known to the Ancient Greek and Roman geographers. It is generally taken as referring to North China[citation needed] during its Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties, as it was reached via the overland Silk Road in contrast to the Sinae, who were reached via the maritime routes. A similar distinction was later observed during the Middle Ages between "Cathay" (north) and "Mangi" or "China" (south). The people of Serica were the Seres (Ancient Greek: Σῆρες),[2] whose name was also used for their region. Access to Serica was eased following the Han conquest of the Tarim Basin (modern Xinjiang) but largely blocked when the Parthian Empire fell to the Sassanids. Henry Yule summarized the classical geographers:[3]
If we fuse into one the ancient notices of the Seres and their country, omitting anomalous statements and manifest fables, the result will be something like the following:—"The region of the Seres is a vast and populous country, touching on the east the Ocean and the limits of the habitable world, and extending west to Imaus and the confines of Bactria. The people are civilized, mild, just, and frugal, eschewing collisions with their neighbours, and even shy of close intercourse, but not averse to dispose of their own products, of which raw silk is the staple, but which include also silk-stuffs, fine furs, and iron of remarkable quality." That is manifestly a definition of the Chinese.[4]
Some scholars, however, contend the Seres were not the Chinese themselves but tribes speaking Indo-European languages on the western edges of the Chinese dynasties and empires who traded with the ancient Indians, such as the Yuezhi, Saka, and Tocharians.
Serica (/ˈsɛrɪkə/, Ancient Greek: Σηρικά) was one of the easternmost countries of Asia known to the Ancient Greek and Roman geographers. It is generally...
the genus Serica, which is in the family Scarabaeidae. Serica abdita Dawson, 1921 Serica acicula Dawson, 1932 Serica acontia Dawson, 1933 Serica adversa...
Serica sponsa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica sponsa Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica atracapilla is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica atracapilla Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Monumenta Serica - Journal of Oriental Studies (Chin. 華裔學志, Huayi xuezhi) ISSN 0254-9948 and for the web ISSN 2057-1690 is an international academic journal...
Serica serotina is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica serotina Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Serica trociformis is a species of May beetle or June bug in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica trociformis Species Information"...
Serica texana is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica texana Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica porcula is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica porcula Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica parallela is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica parallela Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
The Oriental magpie (Pica serica) is a species of magpie found from south-eastern Russia to eastern China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and northern Indochina...
Perittia serica is a moth of the family Elachistidae. It is found in Colorado. The length of the forewings is about 6 mm. Wikimedia Commons has media related...
Serica georgiana is a species of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. S. georgiana georgiana Leng, 1911 S. georgiana...
Serica sericea is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica sericea Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica blatchleyi is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica blatchleyi Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Serica intermixta is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica intermixta Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Serica opposita is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. "Serica opposita Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved...
Serica tristis is a species of May beetle or junebug in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica tristis Species Information". BugGuide...
Serica campestris is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica campestris Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Serica iricolor is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica iricolor Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Megacraspedus serica is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1909. It is found in South Africa. The wingspan is about...
Serica anthracina is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica anthracina Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
Serica aspera is a species of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica aspera Species Information". BugGuide.net...
Serica howdeni is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica howdeni Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica aemula is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. "Serica aemula Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information...
Serica laguna is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in Central America and North America. "Serica laguna Report". Integrated...
Serica fimbriata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in Central America and North America. "Serica fimbriata Report"...
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