500BCE – 500CE

What is an Empire Empires are political systems with coercive power -conquer other states - use their resources - usually include multiple peoples and cultures under a single political system Can have a common culture without a unified political system.

Eurasian Empire’s of the Classical Era Persian Empire Greek empire of Alexander the Great Roman Empire Chinese empire (Qin and Han dynasties) India (Mauryan and Gupta empires) Common Issues and/or Questions -Would they try to impose their culture on varied subjects? -Would they rule conquered peoples directly or through local elites? - How should they extract wealth while maintaining order? - All eventually collapsed

Persians Indo-Europeans, homeland on Iranian Plateau Imperial system drew on Mesopotamian prototypes Cyrus and Darius expanded empire all the way from Egypt to India -why its culture was so diverse Bureaucracy - satraps governed 23 provinces - system of imperial spies (“eyes and ears of the King”)

Characteristics of the Persians They were unusually tolerant for those of their time. - Cyrus allowed Jews to return from Babylonian exile and rebuild Jerusalem temple - Herodotus: Persians adopt foreign customs readily Standardized coinage and predictable taxes Encouragement of communication and commerce Canal dug between Nile and Red Sea Royal road 1700 miles in distance across the empire Elaborate imperial centers (especially Susa, Persepolis)

Persian Empire

Greeks Geography - mountains / valleys / islands - small isolated city-states Most distinctive features Equality of all “citizens” before law Extent of citizenship depending on time and city

Sparta and Athens Spartan political authority - the council of elders Athens – participation by citizens The Assembly was open for participation by all citizens, and was the center of political life Differences between Athenian and modern democracy i. direct, not representative ii. women, slaves, and foreigners were excluded

Greek City-States

Greco-Persian Wars Battle of Marathon - Darius Greeks astonishingly defeated Persians on land and sea were motivated by Greek freedoms The East/West divide Greece = Europe, freedom Persia = Asia, despotism Battle of Thermopylae - movie Greeks lost

Golden Age of Greek Culture Construction of Parthenon Birth of Greek theatre (Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides) Socrates – philosophy Herodotus – historian “History of The Persian Wars”

The Academy in Athens

Peloponnesian War Sparta led resistance to Athenian imperialism Athens became defeated Greek states were exhausted, distrusted each other Opened the way to takeover by Macedonia (frontier region on northern edge of Greece) Philip II of Macedon unified all of Greece, then was assassinated

Hellenistic Era Alexander the Great’s expedition against Persia Created a massive Greek empire- from Egypt and Anatolia to Afghanistan and India Defeat of Persian empire Anointed as pharaoh of Egypt Library at Alexandria Created “Kshatriya” caste in India

Alexander’s Conquests

Alexander the Great

Rome and China Similarities - both flourished around 200BCE-200CE - similar size, about 1.5million sq. miles - between them, controlled ½ worlds population - each had 50-60million people

Rome: From City-State to Empire Small city-state founded 8 th century BCE 509BCE – overthrew monarchy / established republic - Patricians – wealthy / rule by 2 consuls - Plebeians – poor classes represented by tribunes that could veto legislation BCE – Punic wars with Carthage - gave Rome control over Mediterranean - skill/brutality of Roman army (crucifixion) 1 st century BCE – political crisis - rise of military leaders (Julius Caesar, Pompeii)

Hannibal and the Punic Wars

Rome: An Empire 27BCE – Augustus Caesar becomes first emperor - maintained republican government - reality: sole leadership by dictator pax Romana – 200 years of peace - about 27BCE to 180CE - security, relative prosperity - minimal expansion

China: Warring States to Empire Xia, Shang and Zhou created dynasties - system fell apart by 500BCE Age of warring states - seven competing kingdoms Shihuangdi– unified china in 221BCE – Qin Dynasty - first emperor - adopted legalism

Shihuangdi’ Empire It was brutal - military force - execution of scholars - book burnings - built the great wall - standardized weights and measures - written Chinese - tomb w/ chariots and 7500 terracotta soldiers Han Dynasty comes next - disregard Legalism, adopt Confucianism

Shihuangdi’s Tomb

Shihuangdi’s Terracotta Soldiers

Comparing Roman and Chinese Empires Both saw themselves in universal terms Both claimed supernatural sanctions - Deceased emperors in Rome were seen as gods - persecution of Christians for not participating in state “cult” - Mandate of Heaven in China - Chinese Emperor = “son of heaven” - depended upon just rule - moral government – based on Confucius

Comparing Roman and Chinese Empires Both absorbed foreign religion - Rome – Christianity - China – Buddhism (never dominant in China) - spread along silk roads Roman Empire - citizenship gradually extended to all free people by 212CE - “some” Roman culture spread to W. Europe, Greek culture continued to dominate E. Europe

Comparing Roman and Chinese Culture Chinese culture spread more readily - constant assimilation of “barbarians” - ethnocentric global view, middle kingdom Language in Rome - Latin - alphabetic - gave rise to Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese Language in China - characters that represent words or ideas - all literate people could understand - used to assimilate elites

Bureaucracy China – more sophisticated bureaucracy Chinese emperor Wudi (147BCE-87BCE) established the civil service exam - based on Confucius teachings - Scholar-Gentry took the test - lasted until 20 th century Roman administration - relied on regional elites + army - developed major body of law making all people of the realm equal (unlike China)

Scholar Gentry “cheat sheet”

Why Do Empires Fall??? Han ended 220CE Rome fell in 476CE Common Factors - overextension, not enough resources - tax evasion of large land owners - high taxes on poor - China - yellow turban rebellion in 184CE - disease - nomadic invaders on the frontier

Nomadic Invaders China had dealt with Xiongnu for centuries - as state weakened, invaders set up “barbarian states” in the North - gradually adopted Chinese customs Rome: Germanic speaking people invaded - entered the empire in 4 th century - established independent kingdoms - partial adoption of Roman culture - Latin/Germanic hybrid culture created

Europe in 500CE

Effects of Imperial Collapse Decline of urban life Population decline Reduction of internal trade Vast insecurity After Collapse - China had 350 years of disorder, then created similar imperial state – Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties - Rome - No large scale imperial system ever successfully restored in Western Europe

Why was China Successful in Restoration than Rome?? Greater cultural homogeny Stronger bureaucratic tradition Confucianism valued the state, Christianity was at odds with the state China had more advanced metallurgy and agriculture

An Indian Empire Indus Valley Civilization fell by 1500BCE 600BCE – Classical Civ. Emerged in N. India Huge Political, Ethnic, Cultural, Linguistic Diversity Politically fragmented society Society defined by - Caste System - Hinduism

Caste System in India

Hinduism / Buddhism

Mauryan India ( BCE) Stimulated by Greek conquest of Northern India Population of 50 million Large military and civilian bureaucracy Ashoka – Ruler - conversion to Buddhism - effort to rule peacefully - developed moral code for whole civilization Empire fell apart when Ashoka died

Indian Empires Came and Went Roadblocks to maintaining an empire - States failed to command loyalty - Great cultural diversity - Frequent invasions from Central Asia - Caste system encouraged local loyalties Indian trade flourished despite fragmentation - merchant supported public festivals + buildings - Hinduism and Buddhism spread through Asia - Indian math and astronomy flourished