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Imperial Downfall & Periodization. Unit 1 Foundations, 8,000 B.C.E. – 600 C.E. End of Empires. The Spread of Epidemic Diseases. Epidemic diseases Common epidemics in Rome and China: smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
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Imperial Downfall & Periodization Unit 1 Foundations, 8,000 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
The Spread of Epidemic Diseases • Epidemic diseases • Common epidemics in Rome and China: smallpox, measles, bubonic plague • Roman empire: population dropped by a quarter from the 1st to 10th cen. • China: population dropped by a quarter from the 1st to 7th century C.E. • Effects of epidemic diseases • Both Chinese and Roman economies contracted • Small regional economies emerged • Epidemics weakened Han and Roman empires
The Fall of the Han • Internal decay of the Han state • Problems of factions and land distribution led to rebellions • Generals usurped political authority; the emperor became a puppet • By 220 C.E., generals abolished the Han and divided the empire into three kingdoms • Nomadic peoples came in; China became even more divided for 350 years
The Fall of Rome • Internal decay in the Roman empire • The barracks emperors: series of generals seizing throne (235-284 C.E. • The emperor Diocletian (284-305 C.E.) • Divided the empire into two administrative districts • A co-emperor ruled each district with the aid of a powerful lieutenant • The emperor Constantine and new capital Constantinople
Cultural Changes, Post-Empires • Rome • Christianity most prominent survivor of the collapse of the empire • Christianity became a legitimate religion, 313 C.E. • Emperor Theodosius: Christianity the official religion, 380 C.E. • The Church became increasingly institutionalized • Conflicting doctrines and practices among early Christians • Established standardized hierarchy of church officials • Bishop of Rome, known as the pope, became spiritual leader • Christianity served as a cultural foundation • Han • Gradual Sinicizationof nomadic peoples • Withering of Confucianism in light of political instability • Popularity of Buddhism; nomadic rulers embraced it
What is Periodization • attempt to categorize or divide time into named blocks • descriptive abstraction that provides a useful handle on periods of time with relatively stable characteristics • determining the precise beginning and ending to any "period" is often a matter of debate
Why is this end of the 1st Unit • End of several Classical Empires • Rome, Han, Gupta • Rise and expansion of Religious movements • Movements of peoples