Arab traders in the Middle East refused to share where they harvested their spices. They sometimes told fantastic stories, saying that their spices came from mystical lakes guarded by winged animals. According to Pliny the Elder, a Roman philosopher and politician, "All these tales…have been evidently invented for the purpose of enhancing the price of these commodities.” In 3–5 sentences, analyze how this statement would later impact European political beliefs.(4 points)
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Pliny the Elder's statement would later impact European political beliefs by fostering skepticism towards the information provided by Arab traders. European rulers and politicians may have been wary of engaging in trade or forming alliances with the Arab traders, as they believed that their accounts of spice origins were exaggerated or even fictitious. This skepticism could have limited European engagement with the Middle East and influenced their political decisions related to trade and diplomacy in the region. Additionally, it could have reinforced a perception of Arabs as unreliable and untrustworthy, shaping European attitudes towards the Middle East.
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