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The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India

Explore the rise and fall of empires in classical India, including the Indus Valley civilization, the creation of new civilization along the Ganges River, and the role of Aryan invaders. Discover the foundation of classical Indian civilization, its political fragmentation, cultural diversity, and the influence of Hinduism and the caste system. Learn about the Mauryan and Gupta empires, their societal structures, religious philosophies, and contributions to India's golden age.

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The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India

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  1. The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India State, Society, & the Quest for Salvation

  2. Do Now: Read TWEDY on India’s Geography And evaluate its role on Classical India

  3. Idea of empire was less prominent • Fall of Indus Valley civilization by 1500 BCE • Creation of new civilization along Ganges River • Debate continues over role of Aryan invaders • 1500-500 BCE: Sanskrit language, earliest literature; caste system: nobles, priests, poets, warriors, workers

  4. Foundation of Classical Civilization by 600 BCE • Enormous political, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity • Indian civilization as a whole shaped by political fragmentation and cultural diversity • Identity provided by distinctive religious tradition and social organization: Hinduism and the caste system

  5. "The genius of India consists of synthesis" • It is the combination of parts into a new whole. • India's early language, Sanskrit, is the basis for many of modern languages such as Russian, Slavic, Indian, Farsi, Greek, Latin and all the Romance languages, Germanic, Scandinavian, English. • Its Vedic mythology is the basis for Greek and Roman myths. • India's language was exported to the West while part of its religious philosophy, Buddhism, was exported to East Asia (China, Japan, SE Asia).

  6. India Before the Mauryan Dynasty • 563 - 463 BCE : Gautama Buddha • 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west India • Introduces Persian ruling pattern • 327 BCE Alexander of the Great destroys Persian Empire in India • Troops mutiny, depart after two years , political power vacuum • New government will be influenced by Persian and Greek penetration of northwest through Khyber Pass of Hindu Kush Mountains

  7. Chronology of Indian History • 400 - 100 BCE: Mauryan Age: Emperor Asoka patronizes Buddhism • 320 - 450 CE: Gupta Dynasty - Golden Age of Indian Civilization • 450 CE: White Hun invasions

  8. State, Society, & the Quest for Salvation in India • The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India • The Mauryan Dynasty & the Temporary Unification of India The Mauryan & Gupta Empires, 321 B.C.E. – 550 C.E.

  9. COT • Continuities: • Patriarchal • Hinduism predominates • Central trading location ( Maritime and Overland) • Fragmented geographically • Role of monsoon winds for trade and agriculture • Caste • Decentralized political structure due to geography • Dowry/child brides • Changes: • Kautilya advises Chandragupta Mauryan • Buddhism state sponsored under Asoka Mauryan • Greek influence on statuary and literature(Silk Routes) • Increase in trade under Classical leadership • Rock pillar edicts establish Pax Mauryan • Division of Buddhism into Theravada and Mahayana • Buddhist and Hindu monumental architecture • Gupta Golden Age: Mathematics, decimal system, surgery techniques, treaties on smallpox, • Hindu epic literature: Mahabharata, Ramayana ( Baghavad Gita) • Code of Manu- Hindu laws including Sati ( Window immolation) • Kalidassa’s poetry

  10. Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE • Unified northern India. • Defeated the Persian general Seleucus. • Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement. • He feared assassination [like Saddam Hussein]  food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc. • 301 BCE  gave up his throne & became a Jain.

  11. Kautilya • Chandragupta’s advisor. • Brahmin caste. • Wrote The Treatise on Material Gain or theArthashastra. • A guide for the king and his ministers: • Supports royal power. • The great evil in society is anarchy. • Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when necessary!

  12. Mauryan Empire 326 BCE – 184 BCE

  13. The Mauryan Dynasty & the Temporary Unification of India • Ruled all but southern tip of India • Population of about 50 million people • Large military and civilian bureaucracy: the administration of a government chiefly through bureaus or departments staffed with nonelected officials • State-operated industries

  14. Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) • Religious conversion to Buddhism after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE. • Dedicated his life to Buddhism. • Built extensive roads. • Conflict: How to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands tobecome a selfless person?

  15. 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 • (right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration)

  16. Appeal of Buddhism • Less dependence on Brahmins for ritual activities • No recognition of caste, jati status • Philosophy of moderate consumption • Public service through lay teaching • Use of vernacular, not Sanskrit

  17. Asoka’s Empire, r. 268 - 232 BCE

  18. Asoka’s law code • Edicts scattered in more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan. • Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic. • 10 rock edicts. • Each pillar [stupa] is 40’-50’ high. • Buddhist principles dominate his lawsas he makes an effort to develop a moral code for his empire. Religious tolerance, remorse for aggression (Ahimsa), conquest through teaching, welfare for all

  19. Decline of the Mauryan Empire • Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka • High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue • Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire • Disappears by 185 BCE Ashoka Lion Capital ~ Legacy

  20. Regional Kingdom: Bactria • Northwestern India • Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Alexander’s campaigns • Intense cultural activity accompanies active trade

  21. Turmoil & a Power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE Tamils The Mauryan Empire is divided into many kingdoms.

  22. 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 • 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.

  23. Gupta Empire:320 CE – 647 CE

  24. Society & Economy • Gender Relations • Patriarchy entrenched • Child marriage common (8 year old girls married to men in 20s) • Women encouraged to remain in private sphere • Castes & Guilds • Wealth & the Social Order • Economy: Towns & Manufacturing • Manufactured goods in big demand • Developed in dense network of small workshops • Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across India

  25. Gupta Rulers • Chandra GuptaI • r. 320 – 335 CE • “Great King of Kings” • Chandra Gupta II • r. 375 - 415 CE • Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world • Hindu revival • Huns invade – 450 CE

  26. Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India • Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Road and visited India in the 5th century. • He was following the path of the Buddha. • He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

  27. Extensive Trade4th century spices silks cotton goods rice & wheat spices horses gold & ivory gold & ivory cotton goods

  28. International Trade Routes during the Guptas

  29. Gupta Achievements 1000 diseasesclassified 500 healingplants identified Printedmedicinal guides Kalidasa Literature PlasticSurgery Medicine GuptaIndia Inoculations C-sectionsperformed SolarCalendar Astronomy Mathematics DecimalSystem The earthis round PI = 3.1416 Conceptof Zero

  30. The Decline of the Guptas • Invasion of the White Huns from Central Asia in the 4th century signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Gupta defeated them. • After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7th century. • Great cultural diversity • Caste system encouraged local loyalties • QUESTION: Is the best literature and art written as the civilization is on the rise, at its height, or in its decline?

  31. Indian trade flourished despite lack of unity • Merchants and artisans patronized public buildings and festivals • Hinduism & Buddhism spread through much of Asia; Indian mathematics & astronomy as well • Trade along 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

  32. Classical India COT • Classical India’s caste system regulated social order despite the fact that it would have to compete with Buddhism in the Mauryan Empire, patriarchy through Hinduism minimized women’s roles, but eventually the increasingly decentralized Gupta Empire would be toppled by Huns • In South Asia 600 B.C.E-600 C.E the strategic location India would generate greater interregional trade with Indian Vaisya’s (merchant caste) being the most venturesome sailors in the Indian Ocean, Hinduism would become increasingly more codified through the laws of Manu and epic literature like the Mahayana, however, India’s fragmented geography would continue to contribute greatly to its diverse identification of language and culture ( Deccan Planteau,Thar Desert, Himalayan Mountains, etc.) Classical India (600 B.C.E-600 C.E) was dramatically altered by Asoka’s conversion in the Mauryan Empire to Buddhism establishing a pattern of tolerance and understanding, facilitating monastic orders to spread Buddhism and its rejection of caste, however, Hinduism would remain the majority faith based of traditions and historical social divisions. • In South Asia 600 B.C.E-600 C.E the introduction of Greco-Buddhism facilitated the spread of Buddhism across the silk road with depictions of the Buddha in traditional Greek fashion, literature became inspired by Homeric Epics in the Baghavad Gita, however, the role of caste and principles of Dharma (duties) and Karma( determination of future rebirths/samsara) would continue to guide social and economic relationships.

  33. In South Asia 600 B.C.E-600 C.E the strategic location India would generate greater interregional trade with Indian Vaisya’s (merchant caste) being the most venturesome sailors in the Indian Ocean, Hinduism would become increasingly more codified through the laws of Manu and epic literature like the Mahayana, however, India’s fragmented geography would continue to contribute greatly to its diverse identification of language and culture ( Deccan Planteau,Thar Desert, Himalayan Mountains, etc.)

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