Cross-cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads Chapter 12 Cross-cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads

Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World Lack of police enforcement outsied of established settlements Changed in classical period Improvement of infrastructure Ex. Roads and bridges Invested in it b/c of military and administrative reasons, but it encouraged trade as well Development of empires Large empires reduced risk of travel Ex. Roman empire

Trade Networks Develop Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek colonization Archeologists unearthed coins, jewelry, Greek style sculptures in Persia, Bactria Maintenance of roads, bridges Routes in N. Africa to Nubia: Meroe Sea lanes: Red Sea to Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean Discovery of Monsoon wind patterns Egyptians discovered the patterns that enabled mariners to safely to Indian Ocean basin Winter-Blow from NE Summer- Blow from SW Increased tariff revenues used to maintain open routes

Trade in the Hellenistic World Bactria/India Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls Persia, Egypt Grain Fed urban populations in distance lands Mediterranean Wine, oil, jewelry, art Make their way back to Persia and Bactria Development of professional merchant class With increasing trade Began to use coins on east coast of Africa

The Silk Roads Named for the predominant commodity traded: Silk Dependent on imperial stability Overland trade routes from China to Roman Empire Began in China at Han capital, Chang’an and goes to Rome From Central Asia and Mediterranean Horses and jade from C.Asia Glassware, jewelry, art, perfumes, bronze goods, wool, linen, pottery, iron tools, olive oil, wine, gold, silver Sea Lanes and Maritime trade as well From southern China thru South China Sea linking east Asia to the SE Asian islands (Ceylon or Sri Lanka today and India very busy) Continue on to Arabian and Persian Gulf to Red Sea Spices from SE Asia Cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, sesame oil Serve not just as condiments or flavors, but drugs, anesthetics, aphrodisiacs, perfumes, magical potions

The Silk Roads, 200 BCE-300 CE

Organization of Long-Distance Trade Divided into small segments Central Asia and China see nomads control trade Once to the port of Palyrma on Med., merchandise passed into hands of Roman subjects Tariffs and tolls finance local supervision Tax income incentives to maintain safety, maintenance of passage The commercial exchanges encouraged cultural and biological exchanges as well!

Cultural Trade: Buddhism and Hinduism Merchants carry religious ideas along silk routes India through central Asia to east Asia Cosmopolitan centers promote development of monasteries to shelter traveling merchants Merv, Bukhara, Samarkand, Kashgar, etc. became oasis towns Food, rest, lodging, markets Buddhism becomes dominant faith of silk roads, 200 BCE-700 CE

The Spread of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, 200 BCE – 400 CE

Buddhism in China Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations Monasteries and missionaries offered Buddhism the potential to attract Chinese converts Gradual spread to larger population beginning 5th c. CE

Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia Sea lanes in Indian Ocean helped spread the religions 1st c. CE clear Indian influence in SE Asia Rulers called “rajas” or kings like in India Sanskrit used for written communication Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths

Han vs. Roman Empires Han 202 BCE-220 CE Empire replaces rival kingdoms Built roads, walls Conquered diverse peoples bordering China Chinese became common language throughout empire Ongoing conflict with nomads Empire fell apart; restored by Tang in 618 CE Rome 27 BCE-476 CE Empire replaced Republic Central, bureaucracy Built roads,defensive walls Conquered many diverse regions on 3 continents Latin didn’t replace other written languages of empire Ongoing conflict w/ nomads Empire falls apart; never restored

Christianity in Mediterranean Basin Paul of Tarsus the example for Christians Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia 3rd c. CE Preached doctrine, performed miracles, expelled demons, diverted a river in flood, moved boulders, persuaded people that he had supernatural power By 3rdc. CE, Christianity spreads through Middle East, North Africa, Europe Sizeable communities as far east as India Didn’t dominate but did attract large #’s Continued to be one of the major religions in area even after birth of Islam Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced

Christianity in SW Asia Influence of ascetic practices from India Abstained from sexual contact, refused fine food, sometimes w/drew from family life and society These practices influenced some Mediterranean Christians Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies After 5th c. CE, most Christians of SW Asia became Nestorians Emphasized human nature of Jesus Spread these ideas east across Silk Roads

Spread of Manichaeism Mani Zoroastrian prophet (216-272 CE) Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism Recognize Zoroaster as the prophet of Persia, Buddha as the prophet of India, and Jesus as the prophet of the Mediterranean world He blended elements from all 3 faiths to serve the needs of the world Dualist good vs. evil light vs. dark spirit vs. matter Urged people to reject worldly pleasures that entangled the spiritual world and go toward the light

Manichaean Society Devout: “the Elect” Laity: “the Hearers” Ascetic lifestyle Celibacy, vegetarianism Life of prayer and fasting Laity: “the Hearers” Material supporters of “the Elect” Merchants who adopted it and supported the church

Decline of Manichaeism Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman Empire Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sassanid persecution Mani arrested, dies in captivity Sassanid emperor trying to use Zoroasterianism as a cultural foundation of his empire Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecute them in 5th c. and 6th c. CE

The Spread of Epidemic Disease Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens Limited data, but trends in demographics reasonably clear Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague Chinese and Roman populations decline ¼ to 1/3 from their highpoint Reign of Augustus, pop. 60 million to 2nd c. CE only 45 million Smallpox in Med. 160-180 CE most destructive By 400 CE, Rome was 40 million Effect: Economic slowdown, move to regional self-sufficiency

Epidemics in the Han and Roman Empires

Internal Decay of the Han State Court intrigue Marriage alliances b/n ruling family and aristocracy led to factions who sought to advance own status Led to constant backstabbing, infighting, which resulted in inefficient central gov’t Problem of land distribution Large landholders develop private armies Gain influence in gov’t and reduced taxes for themselves Epidemics spread in late 2nd and 3rd centuries Peasant rebellions b/c of their discontent 184 CE Yellow Turban Rebellion Suppressed but important b/c 1st in many revolts

Collapse of the Han Dynasty Han 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 China disunited for more than 350 yrs b/c of this

Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples Nomadic peoples adapt to Chinese environment: “China-fication” Adoption of sedentary lifestyle Agriculture, permanent settlements Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage As generations pass, nomadic peoples differences become less obvious

Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines After the collapse, Confucianism seemed irrelevant Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity Daoism attracted those afflicted by war and disease b/c of less competition w/ Confucianism Daoists experimented with spices, herbs, and drugs to concoct elixirs and potions Buddhism spread thru trade, but after the collapse of Han, Buddhism extended to India, China in late 6th c.

Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors Internal political problems The Barracks Emperors 235-284 C.E., 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 Divisions and Factions b/c of the size cause problems

Diocletan (r. 284-305 CE) Divided empire into two administrative districts Co-Emperors rule each district “Tetrarchs” More efficient Currency, budget reform Adjust expenditures to income Price caps to stop inflation Army is under imperial control Relative stability disappears after Diocletans’s death, civil war follows Constantine emerges victorious Moves capital to Constantinople

Fall of the Roman Empire: External Factors Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity 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

Germanic invasions and the fall of the western Roman empire, 450-476 C Germanic invasions and the fall of the western Roman empire, 450-476 C.E.

Cultural Change in the Roman Empire Growth of Christianity 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

St. Augustine (354-430 CE) Hippo, North Africa Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism 387 converts to Christianity Major theologian

The Institutional Church Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early Church Divinity of Jesus Role of women Church hierarchy established Patriarchs, Bishop of Rome primus inter pares