Transcript 12. Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads

Chapter 12
Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads
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Zhang Qian’s Trade Mission
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Sent as ambassador of Han Wudi to try to secure
allies against Xiongnu
Captured by the Xiongnu
Escaped & made it to Bactria
Saw Chinese goods being trade in local markets
(heard they came via Bengal)
Took idea back to Han Wudi to open up trade with
Bactria via India
Han Wudi defeats Xiongnu; secures trade routes
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Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient
World
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Lack of police enforcement outside of
established settlements (trade too risky & not
cost-effective)
Changed in classical period
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Improvement of infrastructure (roads & bridges)
Development of empires that almost bordered
each other- vast regions of peaceful territories
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Trade Networks Develop
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Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek
colonization (established links for trade)
Maintenance of roads, bridges
Ptolemies discovered monsoon wind patterns
(learned from Arab & Indian seaman)
Increased tariff revenues used to maintain
open routes
Pirates ousted from sea lanes in Red Sea/
Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean
Ancient city of Rhapta in East Africa- main
port
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Trade in the Hellenistic World
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Bactria/India
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Central Asia
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Wine, oil, jewelry (gold), art, glassworks, textiles
Europe
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Grain
Mediterranean
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Large horses, jade (sold in China)
Persia, Egypt
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Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls
Wool/linen products
Development of professional merchant class
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The Silk Roads
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Named for principal commodity from China
Dependent on imperial stability
Overland trade routes from China to Roman
Empire (4000 miles)
“Maritime Silk Routes”- sea lanes & maritime
trade as well (joined Asia, Africa,
Mediterranean basin)
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The Silk Roads, 200 BCE-300 CE
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Organization of Long-Distance Trade
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Divided into small segments (handled in
stages)
Tariffs & tolls finance local supervision
Tax income incentives to maintain safety,
maintenance of passage
Mostly done w/ camel caravans/ traveled for
months/ usually men from lands like
Afghanistan & Turkestan were the traders
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Cultural Trade: Buddhism and
Hinduism
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Merchants carry religious ideas along silk
routes
India thru central Asia to east Asia
Cosmopolitan centers promote development
of monasteries to shelter traveling merchants
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Towns become cosmopolitan areas b/c of different
languages, lands, & religious practices
Buddhism becomes dominant faith of silk
roads, 200 BCE-700 CE
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The Spread of Hinduism, Buddhism
and Christianity, 200 BCE – 400 CE
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Buddhism in China
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Wasn’t very popular at first
Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign
merchant populations
Gradual spread to larger population
beginning 5th c. CE (even into steppe lands)
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Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia
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Sea lanes in Indian Ocean spread religion
Areas of Java, Sumatra, other islands, Malay
peninsula, Modern-day Vietnam, Cambodia
1st c. CE clear Indian influence in SE Asia
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Rulers called “rajas”
Sanskrit used for written communication
Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths
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Christianity in Mediterranean Basin
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Refused to worship the state-run cults (persecution
results)
Jesus viewed as a revolutionary; Paul of Tarsus
spreads teachings thru-out Roman Empire
Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia 3rd c.
CE (missionary who attracted converts-rumored to
have great powers)
Christianity spreads through Middle East, North
Africa, Europe
By 100, sizeable communities as far east as India
Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced
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Christianity in SW Asia
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Influence of ascetic practices from India
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abstained from sexual activities
Refused fine foods/comforts
Withdrew from family/ some lived as hermits
Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies
After 5th c. CE, followed Nestorius (Patriarch
of Constantinople)
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Emphasized human nature of Jesus (as opposed
to divine nature)
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Spread of Manichaeism
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Mani- Zoroastrian prophet (216-272 CE)
Influenced by Christianity & Buddhism
Zarathustra was prophet for Persia, Buddha
for India, Jesus for Mediterranean world
Dualist- perceived a cosmic struggle
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good vs. evil
light vs. dark (light-spiritual awareness, darkmaterial world)
spirit vs. matter
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Manichaean Society
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Devout: “the Elect”
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More devout
Ascetic lifestyle
Celibacy, vegetarianism
Life of prayer and fasting
Laity: “the Hearers”
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Less zealous
Material supporters of “the Elect”
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Decline of Manichaeism
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Spread thru silk routes to major cities in
Roman Empire
Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sassanid
persecution
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Mani arrested, dies in captivity
Romans, fearing Persian influence, also
persecute
Survived in central Asia among Turkish
nomadic converts
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The Spread of Epidemic Disease
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Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens
Limited data, but trends in demographics reasonably
clear
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Effect: Economic slowdown, move to regional selfsufficiency
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Epidemics in the Han and Roman
Empires
Chinese Population, 0600 CE
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
c. 0 c. c. c.
CE 200 400 600
CE CE CE
Millions
Roman Population, 0400 CE
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
c. 0 CE c. 200 c. 400
CE
Millions
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Internal Decay of the Han State
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Court intrigue
Formation of actions
Problem of land distribution
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Large landholders develop private armies
Epidemics
Peasant rebellions
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184 CE Yellow Turban Rebellion
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Collapse of the Han Dynasty
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Generals assume authority,
reduce Emperor to puppet
figure
Alliance with landowners
200 CE Han Dynasty
abolished, replaced by 3
kingdoms
Immigration of northern
nomads increases
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Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
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“China-fication”
Adoption of sedentary lifestyle
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Agriculture
Adoption of Chinese names, dress,
intermarriage
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Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism
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Disintegration of political order casts doubt on
Confucian doctrines
Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity
Religions of salvation
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Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal
Factors
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The Barracks Emperors
235-284 26 claimants to the throne, all but one killed
in power struggles
Epidemics
Disintegration of imperial economy in favor of local
and regional self-sufficient economies
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Diocletan (r. 284-305 CE)
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Divided empire into two administrative districts
Co-Emperors, dual Lieutenants
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“Tetrarchs”
Currency, budget reform
Relative stability disappears after Diocletans’s
death, civil war follows
Constantine emerges victorious
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Fall of the Roman Empire: External
Factors
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Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity
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Formerly buffer states for Roman Empire
Attacked by Huns under Attila in 5th c. CE
Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman
Empire
Sacked Rome in 410 CE, established Germanic
emperor in 476 Ce
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Germanic invasions and the fall of the western
Roman empire, 450-476 C.E.
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Cultural Change in the Roman Empire
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Growth of Christianity
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Constantine’s Vision, 312 CE
Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian
practice
Converts to Christianity
380 CE Emperor Theodosius proclaims
Christianity official religion of Roman Empire
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St. Augustine (354-430 CE)
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Hippo, North Africa
Experimented with Greek thought,
Manichaeism
387 converts to Christianity
Major theologian
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The Institutional Church
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Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early
Church
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Divinity of Jesus
Role of women
Church hierarchy established
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Patriarchs, Bishop of Rome primus inter pares
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