Formation of Classical Empires Period 2: 600 B.C. E – 600 C.E. Formation of Classical Empires Ch. 7: Persia Ch. 8: China Ch. 9: India

Chapter 7 The Empires of Persia

Empires of Persia Contemporary Iran Four major dynasties Achaemenids (558-330 B.C.E.) Seleucids (323-83 B.C.E.) Parthians (247 B.C.E.-224 C.E.) Sasanids (224-651 C.E.)

Empires of Persia Achaemenid Cyrus founded the dynasty Peak under Darius Capital Persepolis Administration: Satrapies Twenty-three administrative divisions Staffed by local authorities with loyalty to central government Declined after Persian Wars with Greece (500 B.C.E. – 479 B.C.E)

Empires of Persia Technologies Social Structure Qanat: underground canals Roads Persian Royal Road (1600 miles) Courier service Social Structure Warriors, priests, peasants Family/clan kinship very important Creation of bureaucrat class with empire Tax collectors Record keepers Translators

Empires of Persia Alexander the Great conquers the Achaemenid empire (334-331 B.C.E.) Empire split into three areas, Persia given to Seleucus: Seleucid Empire 305 – 281 B.C.E. Parthians revolt & take control 247 B.C.E. – 224 C.E. Roman Empire puts pressure on Parthians, they weaken. Sasanids take over and rule 224 – 651 C.E.

Empires of Persia Religion Zoroastrianism Zarathustra “Good words, Good thoughts, Good deeds” Priests of Zarathustra known as magi Judiasm, Christianity and Islam came later

Chapter 8 Unification of China

Confucius 551 – 479 B.C.E. Became a teacher and editor of books. Sayings compiled in the Analects. Analects were the core text of Chinese education until 20th century.

Daoism Critics of Confucianism Passivism, rejection of active attempts to change the course of events Founder: Laozi, sixth century B.C.E. The Daodejing (Classic of the Way and of Virtue) Daoist's devote their energies to reflection and introspection: natural principles govern the world.

Legalism Emphasis on development of the state Ruthless, end justifies the means Role of law: Strict punishment for violators Human nature is naturally selfish. Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged. Law is the supreme authority and replaces morality. The ruler must rule with a strong, punishing hand. War is the means of strengthening a ruler’s power.

Confucianism Legalism Daoism Moral order in society. Rule by harsh law & order. Daoism Freedom for individuals and less government to avoid uniformity and conformity.

Unification of China Period of Warring States 403 – 221 B.C.E. Legalist doctrines implemented in Qin state and they end up dominating neighbors.

Resistance to Qin Policies Emperor orders execution of all critics Orders burning of all ideological works Some 460 scholars buried alive Others exiled Massive cultural losses

Tomb of the First Emperor

The Han Dynasty Civil disorder brings down Qin dynasty in 207 B.C.E. Liu Bang forms new dynasty: the Han (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E. one of longest) Former Han (206 B.C.E.-9 C.E.) Interruption 9-23 C.E. Later Han (25-220 C.E.)

Patriarchal Social Order Classic of Filial Piety Subordination to elder males Lessons for Women Ban Zhao (45-120 C.E.) Education should be available to all children

Other Technological Developments Cultivation of silkworms Breeding Diet control Other silk-producing lands relied on wild worms Development of paper Bamboo, fabric abandoned in favor of wood and textile-based paper Crossbow trigger, horse collar, ship rudder

Later Han Dynasty Han dynasty emperors manage, with difficulty, to reassert control Yellow Turban uprising, land distribution problems Internal court intrigue Weakened Han dynasty collapses by 220 C.E.

Chapter 9 Classical India 321 B.C.E. – 550 C.E.

India before Mauryan Dynasty 520 B.C.E., Persian emperor Darius conquers northwest India 327 B.C.E., Alexander of Macedon destroys Persian empire in India

Chandragupta Maurya Took advantage of power vacuum left by Alexander Expanded kingdom to create first unified Indian empire: Mauryan Empire Ashoka Maurya (Grandson of Chandragupta) Represents high point of Mauryan empire, r. 268-232 B.C.E. Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue

Regional Kingdom: Bactria Northwestern India Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Alexander’s campaigns Regional Kingdom: Kush Northern India/central Asia Ca. 1-300 C.E. Maintained silk road trade network

The Gupta Dynasty Founded by Chandra Gupta ca. 320 C.E. (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya) Slightly smaller than Mauryan empire Highly decentralized leadership Foundations for studies in natural sciences and mathematics Gupta dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal empire founded in sixteenth century

Economics Indian ocean trade Seasonal sea trade expands with monsoon winds Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean

Social Order Strong patriarchal family system Caste system Guilds Supervised prices, wages and welfare of members Guilds served as subcasts: jati

Religion Janism Ahimsa: nonviolence to other living things Jainism did not recognize social hierarchies based on varna or jati Buddhism Siddhartha Guatama Desire is cause of sufferings; eliminate desire 4 Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path Attain nirvana Mahayana Buddhism Spiritual-based Buddhism w/o giving up pleasures of this life: Bodhisattvas

Religion Hinduism Outgrowth of Vedic age Mahabbarata, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita texts Polytheistic: Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations Gradually replaced Buddhism in India