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Industrial Espionage

Silk, Spies, and Scandal: How the Byzantines Pulled Off History’s Wildest Industrial Heist

Industrial Espionage

Silk, Spies, and Scandal: How the Byzantines Pulled Off History’s Wildest Industrial Heist

Centuries before James Bond, two monks smuggled silkworm eggs out of China, breaking a world monopoly and turning Byzantine fortunes on their head. Here’s why even modern history buffs can’t get enough of the saga.

BY BananaKing

/

Aug 8, 2025

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