The Gupta Empire (320 C.E. – 600 C.E.) Global I Honors: Spiconardi

The Empire Founded in c. 320 C.E. near the Ganges River, the Hindu Gupta Empire was smaller than the Mauryan Empire Ushered in the Golden Age of India ▫ Relative peace (until Huna invasion) ▫ Trade flourished ▫ Advancements in the arts and sciences

Trade Why did trade flourish under the Gupta? ▫ Centralized government  Controlled salt and metal trade  Silk Road  Cotton, sugar, cinnamon, and pepper were exchanged for Chinese and Middle Eastern goods  One-quarter tax on agricultural production  Required labor on state projects

Fall of the Gupta The White Hun Invasion ▫ White Huns are related to the Xiognu, but different from the Huns of Attila ▫ Enter Gupta India in 450 C.E. ▫ White Huns takeover parts of Gupta Empire, but Gupta defend against a complete takeover  Efforts to resist the White Huns would led to eventual collapse of the Gupta empire

Fall of the Gupta Buddhism loses influence and popularity in India ▫ White Hun invasion of northwest India destroyed Buddhist monasteries Decentralized India ▫ After the fall of the Gupta in c. 600 C.E., India once again ruled by numerous regional kingdoms

Legacy Golden Age of India (refer to previous lesson for mathematical and scientific achievements) ▫ Art  Ajanta Caves  Caves with paintings and sculptures of Buddhist art

Ajanta Caves

Legacy Chess ▫ Gupta are believed to have invented the first version of chess  Infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariotry (pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively) Devanagari Numerals Continued Asoka’s policy of religious tolerance

Legacy Literature ▫ Written in Sanskrit ▫ Most notorious work of literature from the Gupta is the Kama Sutra  Kama Sutra  collection of works that provide a manual for relationships, sexual intercourse, and gender behavior Censored