There was seagoing trade with continental reach (the Romans knew the orangutan, used pepper, imported goods and even labor from India, etc; a Roman delegation from the time of Marcus Aurelius is recorded in the Han Court records). Whether it was a matter of independent invention or one end or the other spreading the idea, we may never find out.
“Garum”...
Translated from the Old Roman (not to be confused with Middle Roman, which is hardly ever used anymore) -
Noun - “That sound your butt makes when the fish sauce decides it’s time to leave your body...like immediately... like urgently... like get-the-hell-outta-my-way-to-the-toilet urgently...