Persia and India Geography and Culture

Early cultures  Between 1000 and 500 B.C., some of the greatest empires and civilizations developed in Asia and the Mediterranean area. –Each of them contributed to the culture and learning of Western Civilization.

Persia Persia was built on earlier Central Asian and Mesopotamian civilizations. It developed the largest empire in the world. It stretched from the Indus River in the east to the Nile and the Black Sea in the west.

The Persian Empire Persian kings ruled their empire with great skill: Persian kings ruled their empire with great skill: Tolerance (acceptance) of conquered people. Tolerance (acceptance) of conquered people. –Allowed to speak their own language and practice their own religion. Development of imperial bureaucracy. Development of imperial bureaucracy. –Divided empire into provinces and ruled each province through a governor, an army leader, and a tax collector. Zoroastrianism as a religion. Zoroastrianism as a religion. –Prophet Zoroaster taught that forces of light and darkness struggle for the human soul. –At the end of time, those who choose light ascend to paradise, and those who choose darkness descend to hell. Excellent road system. Excellent road system. –It allowed royal commands to reach all parts of the empire swiftly.

The Greatest Persian Rulers: Nebuchadnezzar – the 2 nd Babylonian Empire Nebuchadnezzar – the 2 nd Babylonian Empire Cyrus the Great – conquered Babylon (built by Nebuchadnezzar) Cyrus the Great – conquered Babylon (built by Nebuchadnezzar) Darius – unified the Persian empire Darius – unified the Persian empire

Indian Civilization ► Classical Indian civilization began in the Indus River Valley. ► It spread to the Ganges River Valley, then through the Indian subcontinent. ► It continued with little interruption because of its geographical location.

Physical Geography Physical barriers such as the Himalayas (to the east), the Hindu Kush (to the north), and the Indian Ocean (to the south) made invasion more difficult. Mountain passes in the Hindu Kush provided invasion routes into the Indian subcontinent. The Indus and Ganges were the most important rivers in the Indian subcontinent.

Indo-Aryan Invasions Around 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryan people (nomads from Central Asia) invaded the area. Around 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryan people (nomads from Central Asia) invaded the area. The culture of natives gradually blended with that of the Aryan conquerors. The culture of natives gradually blended with that of the Aryan conquerors.  One result of this blend was Hinduism.

The Impact the Aryans Had on India: Migration – assertion of dominance. Rigid caste system (hereditary), which influenced all social interactions and choices of occupations. It divides society into 4 classes based on ritual purity and occupation.

Caste System in India Brahmins (priests) Kshatriya (warrior-nobles) Vaishya (traders, artisans, farmers, herders) Shudra (laborers) Untouchables – outcastes. They were not even included in the caste system.

Gupta Dynasty Until 321 B.C. much of India was ruled by foreign invaders. Until 321 B.C. much of India was ruled by foreign invaders. Aryans, then Darius of Persia, and then Alexander the Great. Aryans, then Darius of Persia, and then Alexander the Great. Chandragupta Maurya was the first Indian to unite and rule large areas of India. Chandragupta Maurya was the first Indian to unite and rule large areas of India. In about 310 A.D., another ruler Chandragupta I built an empire that lasted for 200 years. In about 310 A.D., another ruler Chandragupta I built an empire that lasted for 200 years. The Gupta dynasty created a golden age for Indian classical culture: The Gupta dynasty created a golden age for Indian classical culture: Contributions – mathematics (invented the zero), new textiles, literature. Contributions – mathematics (invented the zero), new textiles, literature. Hinduism was an important contribution of classical India. Hinduism was an important contribution of classical India. Still practiced in India today. Still practiced in India today.

Golden Age ► During the Golden Age of classical Indian culture, Indian people made significant contributions to world civilizations.