the earliest traders of any scope were probably noblemen

任何地区最早的商人大都是贵族
who also had land and estates back home,

在家乡拥有一些土地和资产
but who had the opportunity,the know-how,

他们有机会有技术有关系
the connections to make it possible to make a lot of living in trade.

在商业上谋取大生计
Even so, while you don't have a class of separate people

虽然对于这些依靠生产商品来谋求利润的人
who are just in the business of making things and making money,

并不存在一个明确的划分
you do have people who are engaged in those activities and

但是他们都会参与相关的经济活动
who have some interests that are different from those of

他们对此有着浓厚的兴趣
the rest of their people who are only hoplites.

不同于其他仅是从重装步兵出身的贵族
It is, I think,

我认为
part of a conglomerate of activities

这些集体性活动
you want to keep in your mind that is going on here

是需要你重点关注的