The Iberian example shows how Viking were often traders and raiders, who in the aftermath of raids would use their newfound established power to establish trade. In Iberia the first trade and exploration was likely in minerals due to the role that the region played in the Roman Period. Several trade routes disconnected Scandinavia with the Mediterranean with trade routes that ran through Central Europe and around the Iberian Peninsula. These trade routes were not only brought luxury and exotic goods from the Far East but also an overwhelming amount of silver Arab coins that were melted down for silver and also used for trade. The Volga and Dnieper Trade Routes were the two main trade routes that connected Northern Europe with Constantinople, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and the Caspian Sea, and the end of the Silk Road. The Vikings also engaged in trade with merchants throughout Europe, Asia and the Far East.

Viking raids likely followed such established trade routes. The majority of trade was conducted among the several ports that lined the Scandinavian coasts, and the routes were well enough established that they were frequented by pirates looking to seize possessions. Improvements in ship technology and cargo capabilities made trade and the transport of goods much easier, Especially as Europe began to shift to a bulk economy. Trade took place on a gold level and over short and long distances. The Vikings had a vast, expansive, and planned out trade network. The Viking economy and trade network also effectively helped rebuild the European economy after the fall of the Roman Empire. Evidence for the centrality of trade and economy can be found in the criminal archaeological record through evidence of theft, counterfeit coins, and smuggling. Vikings also established a 'bullion economy' in which weighed silver, and to a lesser extent gold, was used as a means of exchange. Viking trading centres and trade routes would bring tremendous wealth and plenty of exotic goods such as Arab coins, Chinese Silks, and Indian Gems. The Vikings developed several trading centres both in Scandinavia and abroad as well as a series of long-distance trading routes during the Viking Age (c. While the Vikings are perhaps best known for accumulating wealth by plunder, tribute, and conquest, they were also skilled and successful traders. ( February 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)

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Viking conquest making money