The Silk Road and the Maritime System were similar in that they both allowed for the diffusion of religious customs and traditions (through missionaries, for example) as well as the spread of technological innovation, but the goods that they coincided with changes in the prominence of empires. The Silk Road was an integral connector between Asia and the Mediteranean region. India, Persia, China, Egypt and Rome all flourished during the height of the Silk Road, underscoring how important the network was for them economically. These regions fought for various aspects of control over the routes, for example, the Roman government set up a trading hub in Alexandria in order to turn more of a profit off of the spice trade. Spices had so much value that workers were often salaried in them, or they were used as currency.
However, as maritime technology rose, I would hypothesize that the prominence of the dusty, camel-spotted land routes of the Silk Road would be challenged by Indian Ocean trade. Port cities sprung up and became trade centers in regions that wouldn't have had that level of financial influx before, such as along the coast of Africa. Nations that prioritized maritime technology would gain better footing in the increasingly globalizing system.
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