1. The Development of States and Empires (2.2)
Period 2: 600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.
The Development of States and Empires (2.2)

2. Change and Continuity
How did classical empires (Roman, Han) differ from earlier empires (Egyptian, Babylonian)?
Change?
How were they similar?
Continuity?

3. Classical States and Empires
The number and size of key states and empires grew dramatically by imposing political unity on areas where previously there had been competing states. Required examples of key states and empires
Southwest Asia: Persian Empires
Mediterranean region: Phoenicia & colonies, Greek city-states and colonies, and Hellenistic and Roman Empire
East Asia: Qin and Han Empire
South Asia: Maurya and Gupta Empires
Mesoamerica: Teotihuacan, Maya city-states
Andean South America: Moche

4. The Persian Empire Indo-European people in present-day Iran
Drew upon Babylonians and Assyrians
King ruled by the will of Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrianism)
23 Persian governors (satraps) with lower-level officials drawn from local authorities
General policy of respect for empire’s many non-Persian cultures (ex: Jews rebuild temple)
Infrastructure: standardized coinage, predictable taxes, canal linking Nile and Red Sea, roads
Elaborate imperial centers (Susa, Persepolis) with monuments and palaces

5. Persian Empire Expansion

6. The Greeks Small, competing city-states
Geography contributed to political independence, but common language and religion
Athenians had direct democracy
Greco-Persian Wars: Greek settlements on the Anatolian seacoast came under Persian control rebellion Greek victory (attributed to freedoms)
Golden Age
Peloponnesian Wars: Athens defeated by Persia decline

7. Greek Colonization

8. Alexander’s Hellenistic Empire
338 B.C.: Macedonian takeover of Greece by Phillip II
Son Alexander created a Greek empire from Egypt to India
Defeated Persian Empire
Died in 323 B.C.E.  empire was divided into three parts, ruled by Macedonian generals.
Key significance: spread Hellenistic culture throughout Asia and beyond

9. Roman Republic and Empire
8th century B.C.E.: originally ruled by king
509 B.C.E.: Roman aristocrats overthrew monarchy and established a republic
2 Consuls advised by patrician Senate
Law – Twelve Tables
B.C.E.: Punic Wars with Carthage
Rome becomes empire with Augustus Caesar
Pax Romana: From 27 B.C. to 180, Roman Empire provided peace and prosperity for the Mediterranean world.
Expansion due to strong military
Conquered people given some self-rule; many granted citizenship

10. Qin (221 to 202 B.C.E.)
Qin Shihuangdi (“First Emperor”) defeated other states
Expanded into parts of Vietnam and Korea
Used Legalism as governing philosophy: punished aristocrats
Beginnings of Great Wall
Standardized weights, coinage, written language
Encouraged silk manufacturing
New roads

11. Han (202 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.)
Less harsh; Confucianism replaces Legalism as governing philosophy
B.C.E.: Emperor Wudi establishes a Confucian Academy for training imperial bureaucrats: beginning of Chinese civil service system
Trade along Silk Roads increased
Government oversaw iron production, built canals and irrigation systems
Paper manufactured for first time

13. Mauryan (326-184 B.C.E.) Founded by Chandragupta
Expanded under grandson Ashoka ( B.C.E.)
Converted to Buddhism  spread
Encouraged trade and constructed roads

14. Gupta (320-550 C.E.) Less centralized rule
Peace and prosperity of the Guptas enabled pursuit of science and art
Marked by inventions and discoveries
zero, decimal system, “Arabic numerals”
Extensive trade with Indochina, Sri Lanka, Burma

15. The Maya Classical period from 250 to 900 Cultural achievements
concept of zero
complex mathematical calculations
astronomy (predict eclipses)
art, writing, pyramids, plazas, temples
Politics: no unified empire, city-states ruled by divine rulers
Decline was sudden and mysterious

16. Teotihuacan Located in Valley of Mexico Built c. 150 B.C.E. to plan
200,000 people at peak
Street of the Dead: grand homes of elites
Temple of Feathered Serpent: remains of 200 sacrificial victims found
mysteriously collapsed in 650 C.E., 1000 years later Aztecs dub it “city of the gods”

17. New Techniques– Rome, China, and Persia
Administrative institutions
Centralized governments
Elaborate legal systems and bureaucracies
Economic: Promotion of trade and economic integration
building and maintaining roads
Issuing currencies
Military Techniques:
Diplomacy, developing supply lines, building fortifications, defensive walls, and roads
Drawing new groups of military officers and soldiers from the local populations or conquered people

18. Cities
Cities served as centers of trade, public performance of religious rituals, and political administration for states and empires.
Persepolis
Chang’an
Pataliputra
Athens
Carthage
Rome
Alexandria
Constantinople
Teotihuacan

19. Persepolis (Persia)
PERSEPOLIS

20. Why did they D.I.E.?
Roman, Han, and Gupta empires all declined and collapsed
1. Disease: declining urban populations
2. Invasions:
Xiongnu invaded Han China
White Huns invaded Gupta
Germanic tribes invaded Romans
3. Environmental: Excessive mobilization of resources caused environmental damage and generated social tensions and economic difficulties by concentrating too much wealth in the hands of elites.
Deforestation, Desertification, Soil erosion, Silted rivers

21. Effects and legacy of decline
Decline of urban life
Contracting population
Diminishing international trade
Insecurity for ordinary people
China v. Rome
While China was able to reassemble under the Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties, Western Europe never again experienced a centralized, imperial authority.
Instead, it fragmented into kingdoms, city-states, and ultimately nation-states.
Urban decline most severe in Western Europe

22. Essential Vocabulary 1. infrastructure 2. monumental architecture
3. bureaucracy
4. centralized government
5. Pax Romana
6. Greco-Persian Wars
7. Peloponnesian Wars
8. Twelve Tables
9. patricians/ plebeians
10. Augustus Caesar
11. Qin Shihuangdi
12. Han Wudi
13. Arabic numerals
14. Ashoka
15. Teotihuacan

23. Copy the following question
Analyze similarities and differences in the diffusion of Buddhism and Christianity from their origins to the 6th century.
How would you answer this question?

24. Your Turn
Analyze similarities and differences between the imperial administration of the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire.

25. Sample Thesis
While both the Roman and Han Empires used well-organized bureaucracies and infrastructure to administer their empires, they differed in the philosophies used to justify their rule.