Chapter 5 The Classical Period: Directions, Diversities, and Declines by 500 CE

In Depth: Nomads Key agents of contact Key agents of contact Silk routes Silk routes Important channels of contact: Important channels of contact: Inventions Inventions Weapons, technology Weapons, technology New foods New foods Disease Disease CULTURE (language, religion, art, etc) CULTURE (language, religion, art, etc)

Nomads (cont.) Indo-Europeans and Huns Indo-Europeans and Huns Animals influence culture Animals influence culture Courage cultures: Courage cultures: Kin-related bands – family ties important Kin-related bands – family ties important Excellent warriors – time to practice Excellent warriors – time to practice Valued honor, courage, loyalty, hospitality Valued honor, courage, loyalty, hospitality Male-centered w/ some exceptions Male-centered w/ some exceptions Polytheistic and animistic w/ shamans Polytheistic and animistic w/ shamans

Nomads (cont.) Contacts w/others Contacts w/others Regular and peaceful Regular and peaceful Trade Trade Hostile and destructive Hostile and destructive Invasions Invasions Mercenaries Mercenaries Empire builders Empire builders

Basic themes of classical civilizations Basic themes of classical civilizations Expansion and integration Expansion and integration Those stop which leads to decline and collapse Those stop which leads to decline and collapse Response of major world religions to decline Response of major world religions to decline Developments outside the classical “orbit” become more prominent as decline occurs Developments outside the classical “orbit” become more prominent as decline occurs China – greater centralization China – greater centralization India – localized, diverse, key religious values help unify India – localized, diverse, key religious values help unify Med. – culture spreads but involves less of pop. so makes vulnerable to division Med. – culture spreads but involves less of pop. so makes vulnerable to division

Territorial integration China – settled northerners in south China – settled northerners in south India – spread of caste system and Hinduism India – spread of caste system and Hinduism Rome – common laws, expanded citizenship guidelines, commercial network Rome – common laws, expanded citizenship guidelines, commercial network Social: all three subordinated women to men Social: all three subordinated women to men

Other civilizations Bordering areas had some relations to class. civ. Bordering areas had some relations to class. civ. SE Asia, NE Africa and Sub-Saharan, Japan, and SE Asia, NE Africa and Sub-Saharan, Japan, and N. Europe Americas – independent evolution of civ. Americas – independent evolution of civ. Polynesia Polynesia

Japan Agricultural Agricultural Regional political organization→sophisticated regional states Regional political organization→sophisticated regional states Ironworking (skipped copper/bronze) Ironworking (skipped copper/bronze) Role of women Role of women Shintoism Shintoism Imperial system becomes stronger Imperial system becomes stronger Influence from Chinese produces a blend of Japanese and Chinese culture (women  ) Influence from Chinese produces a blend of Japanese and Chinese culture (women  ) Buddhism Buddhism

Northern Europe Culturally “behind others” Culturally “behind others” Lack of cities Lack of cities Much fighting Much fighting Loose political organization (tribes, etc) Loose political organization (tribes, etc) No written language No written language Primitive agriculture Primitive agriculture Paganism/animism Paganism/animism Role of women / matrilineal Role of women / matrilineal

Americas Cultural hearths: Mesoamerica and Peru Cultural hearths: Mesoamerica and Peru Contact with others??????????? Contact with others??????????? Olmecs – “mother civilization” Olmecs – “mother civilization” Corn and potatoes Corn and potatoes Little pastoralism (no animals) Little pastoralism (no animals) Art (jade) Art (jade) Calendar system Calendar system Monumental architecture Monumental architecture

Americas cont. Maya Maya Hopewell Hopewell Desert Desert Chavin/Moche Chavin/Moche Inca Inca

Africa Kush/Axum Kush/Axum Ethiopia Ethiopia Ghana Ghana Bantu migrations Bantu migrations

Decline of empires Han Han Outside invaders (Huns) Outside invaders (Huns) Confucianism decreases Confucianism decreases Government corruption Government corruption Local landlords want more power Local landlords want more power Peasants  Peasants  Social unrest Social unrest Daoists (Yellow Turbans) Daoists (Yellow Turbans) Epidemics Epidemics

Gupta Less drastic decline Less drastic decline Nomadic invasions (related to Huns) Nomadic invasions (related to Huns) Regional princes (rajput) take more power Regional princes (rajput) take more power Buddhism ↓ Hinduism ↑ Buddhism ↓ Hinduism ↑ Islam threatens culture and economy Islam threatens culture and economy

Roman Empire Political confusion Political confusion Weak rulers and unclear line of succession Weak rulers and unclear line of succession Plagues → population ↓ → economy  Plagues → population ↓ → economy  Moral decay and decline of culture Moral decay and decline of culture Decentralization of political authority Decentralization of political authority Army  Army  Diocletian and Constantine Diocletian and Constantine Rise of new religions (Christianity) Rise of new religions (Christianity)

Rome cont. Fall splits unity of Mediterranean Fall splits unity of Mediterranean 3 zones 3 zones East – Byzantine and Sassanids East – Byzantine and Sassanids N. Africa N. Africa Western Europe – “civilization” ↓ Western Europe – “civilization” ↓

Religions Comparison of Buddhism to Christianity Comparison of Buddhism to Christianity Both: Both: Move from original centers Move from original centers Unimportance of this world – stress spiritual world Unimportance of this world – stress spiritual world Monastic movement Monastic movement Possibility of afterlife and role of holy leaders Possibility of afterlife and role of holy leaders Emphasize salvation and rituals Emphasize salvation and rituals Religious images and “saints”/bodhisattvas Religious images and “saints”/bodhisattvas

Buddhism Changes as it spreads Changes as it spreads Buddha seen as “god” (Mahayana) Buddha seen as “god” (Mahayana) Role of women Role of women Believed women could achieve salvation Believed women could achieve salvation Chinese change some Buddhist ideas (syncretism) Chinese change some Buddhist ideas (syncretism) Possible threat to emperor Possible threat to emperor Exists along with Daoism Exists along with Daoism

Christianity More emphasis - church structure/organization More emphasis - church structure/organization Missionary activity/widespread conversions Missionary activity/widespread conversions Stressed exclusive nature of truth/single belief Stressed exclusive nature of truth/single belief Intolerant of competing beliefs?? Intolerant of competing beliefs?? Started as Jewish reform movement Started as Jewish reform movement Idea of Trinity Idea of Trinity Formal theology/philosophy (Augustine) Formal theology/philosophy (Augustine) Accommodates earlier polytheistic beliefs (syncretism) Accommodates earlier polytheistic beliefs (syncretism)

Christianity cont. Successful because: Successful because: Blind devotion to all-powerful God Blind devotion to all-powerful God Complex intellectual system (Benedict of Nursia) Complex intellectual system (Benedict of Nursia) Appeals to all social classes Appeals to all social classes Appeals to women Appeals to women Modified classical beliefs (role of state) Modified classical beliefs (role of state) Classical values: discipline, work, art, architecture Classical values: discipline, work, art, architecture

Conclusion Last major world religion-Islam Last major world religion-Islam Response to collapse of classical forms Response to collapse of classical forms Need to react to new religions Need to react to new religions Other parts of world prepare for new developments Other parts of world prepare for new developments