What was the name commonly given to the ancient trade routes that connected the East and West of Eurasia?

The story behind the answer

Silk Road is correct because the most prized commodity moving from China westward was silk, giving its name to the vast network of overland routes that, from about the 2nd century BCE to the 15th century CE, linked East Asia with Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. More than goods traveled these paths—ideas, technologies, religions (like Buddhism and Islam), and diseases moved too, shaping world history.

By contrast, “Spice Road” usually refers to maritime spice routes across the Indian Ocean; “Salt Road” names local routes such as Rome’s Via Salaria; “Clay Road” isn’t historical. Memory tip: Silk stitches the seams of Eurasia—imagine a silk thread connecting China