Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant, explorer, and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. In 1295, Marco Polo returned to Venice after spending 24 years in Asia. Venice was at war with its rival Genoa. Polo took part in helping defend Venice and found himself captured as a prisoner of war. Within his time as prisoner, his cellmate was a famous romance writer, Rustichello da Pisa, and together they wrote one of the most famous works of literature - The Travels of Marco Polo.