Classical Civilizations: The “Common Era”

1. Classical Civilizations:The “Common Era” Mr. Skommesa -- AP World History

2. Questions to Consider • What are some major points of comparison between the major classical civilizations of East Asia, South Asia, and the Mediterranean? • What sorts of reactions to established traditional forces were there among the common peoples? • In what way was the collapse of the Roman Empire more complete that that of the Han, Maurya, or Gupta? • Why might some historians refer to the era from 500BCE to 500CE as the “Common Era”?

3. Classical China

4. Unification of China • Qin dynasty develops, 4th-3rd centuries BCE • Generous land grants under Shang Yang • Private farmers decrease power of large landholders • Increasing centralization of power • Improved military technology

5. From Warring States to Unification

6. Qin Dynasty (221-207BCE) • Brought an end to the Warring States Period • Shi Huangdi proclaims self to be first emperor of China • Promoted Legalism to enact laws to prevent challenges from rival powers • Land was divided among heirs • Slavery was abolished to create a labor force that would pay taxes • Standardized coinage and laws • Built thousands of miles of roads, walls (the “Great Wall”), and canals • After Shi Huangdi’s death people rose up against his oppressive rule

11. The Han Dynasty (206BCE-220CE) • Liu Bang founds the Han Dynasty • Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE) • Interruption (9-23 CE) • Later Han (25-220 CE) • Cultural and political characteristics greatly influence subsequent dynasties

12. Han Centralization • The Martial Emperor: Han Wudi (141-87 BCE) • Increased taxes to fund more public works • But huge demand for government officials, decline since Qin persecution • Able bodied men were required to serve in the military for 2 years and donate a month’s worth of labor for the construction of palaces, temples, and roads

13. Confucian Educational System • Han Wudi establishes an Imperial University in 124 BCE • Not a lover of scholarship, but demanded educated class for bureaucracy • Adopted Confucianism as official course of study • 3000 students by end of Former Han, 30,000 by end of Later Han

14. Iron Metallurgy • Expansion of iron manufacture • Iron tips on tools abandoned as tools entirely made from iron • Increased food production • Superior weaponry

15. Other technological Developments • Cultivation of silkworms • Breeding • Diet control • Other silk-producing lands relied on wild worms • Development of paper • Bamboo, fabric abandoned in favor of wood and textile-based paper

18. Population Growth in the Han Dynasty • General prosperity • Increased agricultural productivity • Taxes small part of overall income • Produce occasionally spoiling in state granaries

19. Economic and Social Difficulties • Expenses of military expeditions, esp. vs. Xiongnu • Taxes increasing • Arbitrary property confiscations rise • Increasing gap between rich and poor • Slavery, tenant farming increase • Banditry, rebellion

20. Reign of Wang Mang (9-23 CE) • Wang Mang regent for 2-year old Emperor, 6 CE • Takes power himself 9 CE • Introduces massive reforms • The “Socialist Emperor” • Land redistribution, but poorly handled • Social chaos ends in his assassination 23 CE

21. Later Han Dynasty • Han Dynasty emperors manage, with difficulty, to reassert control • Yellow Turban uprising challenges land distribution problems • Internal court intrigue • Weakened Han Dynasty collapses by 220 CE

22. Classical India

23. India Before the Mauryan Dynasty • 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west India • Introduces Persian ruling pattern • 327 Alexander of Macedon destroys Persian Empire in India • Troops mutiny, departs after 2 years • Political power vacuum

24. Chandragupta Maurya • Took advantage of power vacuum left by Alexander • Overthrew Magadha rulers • Expanded kingdom to create 1st unified Indian empire • Mauryan Dynasty

25. Ashoka Maurya • Grandson of Chandragupta • Represents high point of Mauryan Empire, r. 268-232 BCE • Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south • Positive rulership integrated Indian society

26. The Rock and Pillar Edicts

28. Decline of the Mauryan Empire • Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka • High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue • Frequent devaluations of currency to pay salaries • Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire • Disappears by 185 BCE

30. The Gupta Dynasty • Based in Magadha • Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CE • Slightly smaller than Mauryan Empire • Highly decentralized leadership

31. Gupta Decline • Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5th c. CE • Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines • Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16th c.

32. Economic Trends in Classical India Towns and Manufacturing • Manufactured goods in big demand • Developed in dense network of small workshops • Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across India Long-Distance Trade • Persian connection since Cyrus, Darius • Massive road-building projects under Persian rule • Alexander extends trade west to Macedon • Trade routes through Kush mountains, the silk roads Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin • Seasonal sea trade expands • Spring/winter winds blow from south-west, fall/winter winds blow from north-west • Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean

33. Challenges to the Old Social Order • People reacted against the rigid social hierarchy and religious monopoly of the Brahmins • People retreated to the forests to seek salvation through yoga, special diets, and meditation • Ideas of religious dissidents are reflected in the Upanishads

34. Jainism • Vardhamana Mahavira, 540-468 BCE • Practiced Ahimsa – extreme nonviolence • Most extreme: went naked and starved to death • Less extreme: devoted lives to commerce and banking to avoid killing

35. Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama, c. 563-483 BCE • Enlightenment gained through moderate living, self-discipline, and meditation • Goal: Nirvana can be achieved by anyone – the caste and jati are rejected • Texts in the vernacular, not sanskrit • Two schools develop after the Buddha’s death • Theravada: kept close to original teachings • Mahayana: incorporated new beliefs

36. Symbols of the Buddha

37. Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma • The Four Noble Truths • all life is suffering • there is an end to suffering • removing desire removes suffering • this may be done through the eight-fold path • The Eightfold Path: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration

38. Popular Hinduism • Counter to the challenges – led to more personal forms of devotion • Gods and goddesses seen as manifestations of a single divine force • Ganges became a popular pilgrimage site • Religious duties vary according to gender, social status, and age • Hinduism became dominant religion because it appealed to the common peoples need for personal deities they could identify with

39. Shiva

40. Rome’s Mediterranean Empire

41. The Roman Republic (507-31BCE) • A small society of independent farms • Some individuals acquired large amounts of land – these wealthy men (Patricians) made up the Senate, the dominant political body in the Roman Republic • All male citizens could attend Senate meetings, but votes heavily favored the wealthy elite • Tensions grew between the wealthy elite and the working class (Plebians) who wanted more political rights

43. Expansion of the Republic • Developed highly trained and disciplined armies by the 3rd century B.C.E. • Military expansion was motivated by a constant desire to create a buffer zone between Rome and its enemies on the frontier • Men from conquered lands were required to join the military • Success in the Punic Wars allowed Rome to eliminate the greatest threat to its power in the western Mediterranean

45. Roman Republic, c.146BCE

46. Social and Political Developments • Republic governed by Senators, who served one-year terms as governors on the Roman provinces • Chosen to serve because of who they knew rather than what they knew • Many were corrupt and ineffective • Conquered people cooperated with Roman rule because of the economic and political advantages that came with adopting Roman customs • Romanization will be a significant legacy of the Roman Empire, even with the dominance of the Greek language and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean • Peasant farmers often lost their land to more wealthy land owners that relied on cheap slave labor • Peasants increasingly looked to ambitious military leaders to administer social justice

47. From Republic to Empire • Civil war led to the rise of Julius Caesar (48-44B.C.E.), who championed the Plebian cause • Civil war led to the rise of Julius Caesar’s nephew, Octavian, who would become the first emperor of Rome and be known by his title Augustus • Augustus and his successors ruled with the approval of the Senate (in theory) • Emperors would become the sources of laws and be viewed as gods in death • The reign of Augustus would mark the beginning of what came to be known as the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) • Cities would be the center of Roman life, even with 80% of the population tied up in agriculture

49. Rome, c.117CE

50. Social Developments in the Empire • A large economic gap continued to exist in the cities • Upper class wealth came from agricultural production or manufacture and trade • The poor lived in crowded slums, though some became tenant farmers and the source of slaves diminished when the empire stopped expanding • Roman society was based on the family and patron/client relationship • Oldest male headed the family • Heads of wealthy families served as Patrons for clients that worked and defended their land • Women could not own property or represent themselves in legal proceedings