AIM : Why was the Gupta Empire known as the “golden age” of India?

1. AIM: Why was the Gupta Empire known as the “golden age” of India? Do Now: Hinduism and Buddhism – 1,2 HW: Read chapter 4, section 3, fill in worksheet extra credit – Do Kalidasa worksheet 1-4 and Chandragupta Maurya handout 1-3

2. The Mauryan Empire • Many small kingdoms existed across India in 300s BC • Each kingdom had own ruler; no central authority united them • Magadha a dominant kingdom near Ganges • Strong leader, Chandragupta Maurya gained control • Began conquering surrounding kingdoms • Conquests led to founding of Mauryan empire

3. Rise of the Mauryan Empire • Alexander the Great • Alexander conquered force in northwest India, 326 BC • Did not remain in India long • Battle-weary soldiers wanted to return home, soon left India • Alexander’s legacy • Alexander’s conquest inspired Chandragupta Maurya • Seized throne of kingdom of Magadha, 321 BC • Began Mauryan empire • Mauryan army • Chandragupta built immense army, 60,000 soldiers • Chariots, war elephants • Began conquering northern India • Extended empire • Defeated Seleucus I, 305 BC • Mauryan empire controlled northern India, 303 BC • Also controlled much of what is now Afghanistan

4. Rule under Ashoka • Chandragupta gave up throne, 301 BC, became Jainist monk • Son became emperor, followed by grandson Ashoka • Mauryan empire reached height under Ashoka • Through warfare empire expanded, included most of India • Kalinga campaign • Violence of fighting at Kalinga appalled Ashoka • Abandoned policy of conquest and converted to Buddhism • Began to promote, spread policy of right conduct, Buddhism • Supported Buddhist missionaries, worked to improve lives of his people

5. The Mauryan Empire • Mauryan empire began to decline following death of Ashoka, 232 BC • Sons battled for power, central control weakened • Distant provinces began to slip away • Last Mauryan emperor killed by one of generals, 184 BC • Mauryan empire lasted 140 years, then collapsed

6. Rise of Gupta Empire India under Gupta Rule • Like Mauryan, Gupta dynasty rose to power in region of Magadha • Founder was Chandra Gupta I • From base in Magadha, Chandra conquered neighboring lands, brought much of northern India under Gupta control • Gupta rule less centralized • Divided main part of empire into units • Royal officials governed each unit • Governed through local rulers in distant conquered areas • Local rulers had to pay tribute The Gupta Empire India remained divided into small kingdoms for about 400 years. Then around AD 320, the Gupta dynasty took over northern India. Under the Gupta, northern India was reunited, Indian society prospered, and the religion of Hinduism grew in popularity. Gupta power expanded under the heirs of Chandra Gupta I, and the empire reached its height under Chandra Gupta II.

7. The Gupta Empire • Chandra Gupta II, ruled from AD 375 to 415 • Further expanded empire, strengthened economy • Reign was period of prosperity, cultural achievement • Chinese Buddhist monk, Faxian, traveled to India • Described empire as rich, prosperous, and punishments fair

8. End of Gupta Rule Weakened Empire • Began to weaken, late 400s • Loose Gupta control allowed some parts of empire to break away • Central Asian nomads, White Huns, began invading India • Problems disrupted trade • Gupta military efforts to defend empire drained treasury • Gupta rule ended, 550 • Again India divided into small, regional kingdoms The Gupta Empire • Support of Hinduism • Buddhism prospered, spread during period between Mauryan, Gupta empires • Hinduism lost popularity during this period • Under Guptas, Hinduism became main religion • Rulers supported building Hindu temples, promoted revival of writings • Buddhism began to lose influence during this period

9. I. Economy and Society While the highest classes in northern India enjoyed luxury, most people barely survived

10. I. Economy and Society The rajas drew wealth from the farmers who worked the land and claimed one-fourth of each harvest

11. I. Economy and Society In southern India many lived by trading, sending luxury goods to the Far East, SW Asia, Africa, and Europe

12. Sea Trade Growth of Trade • Gupta, Tamil kingdoms in southern India traded actively by sea • Indian sailors used seasonal winds to reach foreign markets across Arabian Sea • Sea trade also between India and Southeast Asia • Played key role in cultural diffusion of Indian culture • Indian civilization flourished during Gupta empire • Trade increased, economy strengthened, cities prospered • Overland routes like the Silk Roads linked India to other markets • Indian merchants traded ivory, cashmere, cotton, spices for Chinese silk, Roman ceramics Life in Gupta India

13. Daily Life • Growth of trade strengthened economy; Gupta Empire’s cities reflected prosperity • Use of money became more common; new group of bankers, moneylenders emerged • Luxury, pleasure for urban rich; enjoyed music, poetry, art • Simple Lives • Most Gupta people led simple lives in small villages • Majority of village dwellers, farmers • Most villages self-sufficient, but trade between villages occurred • People from different villages got together for religious festivals, other events

14. Aim: How did the caste system shape life in India?Do Now: The caste system in India

15. Life in Gupta India • Social structure • Most people in ancient India belonged to specific caste • Castes determined jobs, interaction with others • Number grew, developed rules • Legal codes • Legal codes also defined people’s roles • Laws of Manu, compiled between 200 BC, AD 200 • Defined proper behavior • Gender • Also shaped Indian society • Men had more rights than women • Patriarchal society, similar to China • Laws of Manu • Female child subject to father, female youth to husband • Men expected to treat women with respect • Abused women could leave

16. I. Economy and Society Hindu women had few rights, were required to obey male relatives, and could not own property or study sacred writings

17. I. Economy and Society In a practice called suttee, widows threw themselves on their husbands’ funeral pyres Sati (or Suttee) is a rare Indian practice in which a widow sacrifices her life by throwing herself onto her deceased husband’s funeral pyre. It is not directly derived from or connected to Hinduism, although spiritual beliefs play a large part in its traditional observation

18. Sanskrit Literature Panchatantra • Many great works created during Gupta period • One of greatest writers, Kalidasa • Poet, playwright • Wrote plays for royal court • Sakuntala, most famous • Play combines myth, humor, court life, lyric poetry • Another popular work of period • Five Books, collection of stories meant to teach lessons • “The good and bad of given schemes • Wise thought must first reveal • The stupid heron saw his chicks • Provide a mongoose meal.” • Warning to think before acting A Gupta Golden Age Like the Han period in China, the Gupta period was a golden age of cultural and scientific achievements.

19. II. Cultural Achievements One of India's most influential contributions to world literature, the Panchatantra consists of five books of animal fables and magic tales (some 87 stories in all) that were compiled between the third and fifth centuries AD. It is believed that even then the stories were already ancient. The tales' self-proclaimed purpose is to educate the sons of royalty. The stories of the Panchatantra, or “Five Books,” were animal fables intended to instruct the sons of the royalty

20. II. Cultural Achievements The Panchatantra has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible

21. II. Cultural Achievements Plays were often performed outside and contained tragic scenes, but ended happily

22. A. Art and Architecture The only paintings that survive are murals in caves depicting the Buddha and his followers The Ajanta Caves. Ancient Paintings of Buddhist India

23. Art and Architecture • Religious • Much of art, architecture of Gupta period religious • Magnificent Hindu, Buddhist temples built across India • Hindu temples: huge towers, covered with carvings • Buddhist temples • Included stupas, temples with domed roofs • Built to house sacred items from life of Buddha • Like Hindu temples, covered with detailed carvings • Most spectacular architecture • Temples, monuments carved out of rock and cliff faces • Most famous, cave temples at Ajanta and Ellora • Intricately carved columns; include halls, rooms, windows

24. A. Art and Architecture Architects designed and built great Hindu temples and Asoka built thousands of Buddhist stupas

25. Art and Architecture • Great works of art • Paintings of the time often portray beautiful, graceful Indians wearing fine jewelry, stylish clothing • Many of finest paintings found in Buddhist and Hindu temples • Temple paintings • Hindu artists decorated walls, entrances with devas, aspects of Brahman • Buddhists covered plaster walls, ceilings with scenes from life of Buddha • Some of finest examples of Buddhist art found in Ajanta cave temples • Statues • Made for temples • Buddhist temples, statues of Buddha, kings • Hindu temples, statues of Siva, Vishnu, other devas

26. B. Education Education was only for higher caste children and they studied the Vedas, astronomy, mathematics, warfare, and government The ancient Gurukul system of education where the guru imparts knowledge to the disciples

27. B. Education Nalanda was a Buddhist university where thousands of students attended for free

28. Mathematics Medical Science • Gupta scholars most advanced mathematicians of their day • Developed modern math system • First to use concept, symbol of zero • Hindu-Arabic numerals; created by Indians, brought to Europe by Arabs • Ancient Indians quite advanced • Made medicines from plants • Knew how to inject small amounts of viruses to protect against disease • Doctors could perform surgery, repair broken bones, treat wounds Science and Technology • Metallurgy • Ancient Indians pioneers of science of working with metals • Indian iron valued for hardness, purity • Gupta metalworkers built famous Iron Pillar, near Delhi • Iron Pillar is resistant to rust • Still being studied by scholars today

29. C. Mathematics and Astronomy Mathematicians understood the concepts of abstract and negative numbers, zero, and infinity

30. C. Mathematics and Astronomy Aryabhata (late AD 400’s) was one of the first to use algebra and to solve quadratic equations

31. Science and Technology Astronomy • Indians identified seven planets in solar system • Could predict eclipses of sun, moon • Aryabhata, one of most famous Indian astronomers • Correctly argued that Earth rotates on axis, revolves around sun • Knew Earth was sphere, calculated circumference with remarkable accuracy

32. C. Mathematics and Astronomy Indian astronomers identified seven planets, understood the earth’s rotation, and predicted eclipses

33. D. Medicine Indian rulers built free hospitals for the people

34. D. Medicine Indian physicians understood the importance of the spinal cord, could set bones and performed plastic surgery

35. D. Medicine Physicians practiced cleanliness before operations and disinfected wounds, a procedure not practiced in Western medicine until recent times

36. D. Medicine Physicians developed inoculation - infecting a person with a mild form of a disease to prevent a more serious form

37. D. Medicine They successfully inoculated people against smallpox, something not accomplished in the West until the 1700s