Transcript Ch 6b Mauryan_ Gupta_ SE Asia

Classical Imperial India:
Expansion & Collapse
A. The Mauryan Empire (324 B.C.E.–184 B.C.E.)
1. Agricultural & iron production
2. Mauryan Empire founded by
Chandragupta
-Kautilya: a Machiavellian Brahmin &
advisor
-wrote book of political statecraft
-network of spies
3. Imperial government:
-large army
-25% percent tax on all goods
5. most famous Mauryan emperor:
Ashoka (r. 269–232 B.C.E.)
- shaken by carnage in brutal war
& converted to Buddhism
- inscribed Buddhist policies
throughout empire on rocks &
pillars ( “rock edicts”)
- built extensive roads
B. Commerce & Culture
1. The Mauryan empire collapsed
in 184 B.C.E. due to: political
fragmentation
2. Economic development:
creation of guilds & merchants
3. Cultural developments: creation
of epic Indian literature:
– Ramayana
– Bhagavad Gita
C. The Gupta Empire (320 C.E.–550 C.E.)
1. Gupta Empire conquered north & central India,
lead by Chandra Gupta II
-iron deposits, state monopolies, 25%
agricultural tax
2. army controlled core of empire, but provincial
administration left to governors (hereditary)
3. lack of military force created “theater-state”
- redistributing wealth from trade & elaborate
ceremonies
4. Achievements:
- math & astronomy
- invented our “Arabic” numerals
- concept of “zero”
- Chinese monk Faxian’s travel journal
through Gupta India
5. Women’s rights: NO inheritance or
property… treated like lowest varna
- married very young
- widow may be required to burn herself
on her husband’s funeral pyre (sati)
6. dominated by Hinduism & classic form of Hindu temples
7. Gupta India linked by extensive trade networks
8. 550 C.E Gupta empire collapsed under rule of local princes
& financial burden of defense against HUNS
Extensive Trade: 4th c.
Out of India:
cotton,
rice,
wheat, &
SPICES
Into India:
horses,
gold,
ivory,
silk, &
SPICES
spices
gold & ivory
500 healing
plants identified
1000 diseases
classified
Printed
medicinal guides
Plastic
Surgery
Gupta
Achievements
Kalidasa
Literature
Medicine
Inoculations
C-sections
performed
Decimal
System
Gupta
India
Mathematics
Concept
of Zero
PI = 3.1416
Solar
Calendar
Astronomy
The earth
is round
ROMANS, HAN & GUPTA
Economic
Social
Political