Mauryan Dynasty; (322 B.C.E. to 185 B.C.E.) Imperial state of the South Asian subcontinent Founder: Chandragupta Maurya.
Divided empire into provinces. Each had a capital city and a prince (emperor’s representative).
Provinces sub-divided into districts. A minister in charge of the local bureaucrats. Hired from among the district’s people.
Like the Persian Empire, Mauryan rulers relied on spies to keep taps on distant providences.
Ashoka Maurya ( B.C.E.), Ashoka the Great Chandragupta’s grandson Converted to Buddhism
The Rock and Pillar Edicts; laws of Asoka. Laws designed to move politics away from religion and magic to ______.
Decline: 1.Poor leadership 2.Army became ineffective 3.Government officials became idle.
Gupta Dynasty: Smaller than the Mauryan Empire (320 C.E. to 550 C.E.) Golden Age for India
Governed same as Mauryan rulers. Pataliputra was intellectual and cultural center of Empire.
Like Western Europe, after the Gupta Empire collapses, India becomes politically decentralized. Due to the India’s unparalleled cultural diversity. Both regions created enduring civilizations in the absence of a consistent, encompassing imperial state.
Built roads that connected commercial centers. One long road connected northeast and northwest cities.
Hinduism was India’s major religion. Like Constantine, Ashoka policies towards religious unity allowed for the spread of Buddism.
Buddhism develops. Spread by Ashoka: 1.Believed his “dhamma” should show generosity to Brahmans and ascetics. 2.Built Buddhist monasteries. 3.Sent missionaries outside empire. Buddhism spreads to China along the Silk Road.
Art influenced by Greeks and Romans. Example: Gandhara Buddhas Greek Indian
Development of the Stupa. Structure housing the cremated remains of saintly figure. Most important type of Buddhist monument.
Built free hospitals. First to use inoculations.
Developed an easy to use numerical symbols 0 through 9 (known as Arabic numerals).
Unified currency
Spices & silks silks cotton goods spices gold & ivory cotton goods horses rice & wheat gold & ivory India became trading crossroads. Goods pass from China to Mediterranean Sea. Spices and gemstones from Southeast Asia. Indian textiles go to Rome.
Indian Ocean Sea Lanes connected Indian ports with East Africa, Persian Gulf, and Indonesia. Regular trading relations with Rome.
Ended slavery.
Society based on Caste System. Shudras (farmers) Vaishyas (merchants) Kshatriyas(Warriors) Pariahs [Harijan] Untouchables (non-Aryans) Brahmins(Priest/Rulers)
That concludes India. Any questions before the quiz on the next slide?