The new emperor during the Han Dynasty was Gaozu, and he and his successors had to keep costs down to reduce taxes and improve agriculture, as well as storing surplus grain for the future. The Roman economy, on the other hand, seemed to be flourishing. Commerce and trade was facilitated by miles of road networks, which were built to coordinate with sea trade. This and many maps caused an increase in the production of agricultural, mined, and manufactured goods. The Chinese also used a system of roads to enhance trade. Called the Silk Road, it carried silk and other valued trade goods to Central, southern, and western Asia. These roads, as well as many other factors, explain how these two empires evolved the way they