1. Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Chapter 12
Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads During the Late Classical Era
Period 2

3. Long-Distance Trade and the Silk Roads Network
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Long-Distance Trade and the Silk Roads Network
Increase and development of networks for 2 reasons
Improvement of infrastructure
Governments spent considerable amount of money and resources to create roads to connect large empires
This investment encouraged trade within large empires as well with other large empires farther away
Development of empires
Most large empires bordered other large empires
Hellenistic-Indian
Greek Colonization
Persia - Indian
Period 2

4. Hellenistic Trade Networks
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Hellenistic Trade Networks
Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek colonization
Maintenance of roads, bridges
Discovery of monsoon wind patterns- key to sea trade
Increased tariff revenues used to maintain open routes
Bactria and India
Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls
Persia and Egypt
Grain
Mediterranean region
Wine, olive oil, jewelry, art
Development of professional merchant class
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6. The Silk Roads Named for principal commodity from China
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
The Silk Roads
Named for principal commodity from China
Dependent on imperial stability in each empire
Overland trade routes from China to Roman empire
Sea lanes and maritime trade as well
From Chang’an in the Han Dynasty to Antioch
Taklamakan desert was dangerous to travel
Sea trade
Malay and Indian mariners
Persian, Egyptian, Greek
Period 2

7. Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

8. Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Period 2

9. Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism
Merchants carried religious ideas and disease along Silk Roads
India through central Asia to east Asia
Cosmopolitan centers promoted development of monasteries to shelter traveling merchants which converted them to Buddhism
Buddhism became dominant faith of Silk Roads, about 100 B.C.E.–800 C.E.
Sea routes allowed for Buddhism and Hinduism to spread to Southeast Asia
Rulers of South Asian states called themselves rajas (Indian word for king) and adapted Sanskrit
Period 2

10. Chapter 12 Silk Roads
The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, 200 B.C.E.–400 C.E.
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11. Christianity in the Mediterranean Basin
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Christianity in the Mediterranean Basin
Persecution was common from Roman Emperors because Christians would not accept Roman deities (Similar to Jews)
Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia, third century C.E.
Expelled demons, moved boulders, diverted a river
Christianity spread through Middle East, north Africa, Europe
Sizeable communities as far east as India
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12. Christianity in Southwest Asia
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Christianity in Southwest Asia
Along with Jews and Zoroastrians
Influence of ascetic practices from India (Jainism)
Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies
After fifth century C.E., followed Nestorius (Nestorians)
Emphasized human nature of Jesus
Spread along Silk Road
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14. The Spread of Manichaeism
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
The Spread of Manichaeism
Mani (216–272 C.E.), devout Zoroastrian from Babylon
Viewed himself prophet for all humanity
Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism
Zarathustra prophet of Persia, Buddha prophet of India, Jesus prophet of Mediterranean
Dualist
Good vs. evil
Light vs. dark
Spirit vs. matter
Period 2

15. Decline of Manichaeism
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Manichaean Ethics
Devout: “the elect”
Ascetic lifestyle
Celibacy, vegetarianism
Life of prayer and fasting
Laity: “hearers”
Material supporters of “the elect”
Decline of Manichaeism
Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman empire
Zoroastrian opposition provoked Sasanid persecution
Mani arrested, died in captivity
Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecuted
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16. The Spread of Epidemic Disease
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
The Spread of Epidemic Disease
Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens
Limited data, but trends in demographics reasonably clear
Han and Roman Empires suffered large scale outbreaks
15 million Romans and 15 million Chinese died
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Effects: economic slowdown, move to regional self-sufficient economies
Period 2

17. Internal Decay of the Han State
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Internal Decay of the Han State
Internal problems within the Han government
Han government dissolved into regional kingdoms
Divided politicans
Marriage alliances
Problem of land distribution (rears ugly head again)
Large landholders develop private armies to enforce land holdings
Epidemics (previous slide)
Peasant rebellions
Yellow Turban uprising, 184 C.E.
Kicked off further peasant revolts in future
Period 2

18. Collapse of the Han Dynasty
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Collapse of the Han Dynasty
Generals assumed authority, reduced emperor to puppet figure
Alliance with landowners
Han dynasty abolished, 200 C.E.
Replaced by three kingdoms (Wei, Wu and Shu)
Matched regionalization
Increase in immigration of northern nomads
Nomads would keep China disunited for 350 years
Period 2

19. China after the Han Dynasty, 220 C.E.
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
China after the Han Dynasty, 220 C.E.
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Period 2

20. Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
Social and cultural changes to Chinese way of life taking place
Nomadic peoples increasingly adapted to Chinese environment
Agriculture
Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage
Confucian tradition’s loss of credibility
Turn toward Daoism and Buddhism
Period 2

21. Internal Decay in the Roman Empire
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Internal Decay in the Roman Empire
No single cause for collapse of Western Roman Empire
Internal and external pressures
The “barracks emperors”
Most were generals who used private armies to assume power
For half century, 235–284 C.E., twenty-six men claimed the throne
All but one killed in power struggles
Sheer size
Epidemics
Disintegration of imperial economy in favor of local and regional self-sufficient economies
Period 2

22. Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Diocletian (r. 284–305 C.E.)
Divided empire into two administrative districts
East- Anatolia, Syria, Egypt and Greece
West- Italy, Gaul, Spain, Britain and North Africa
Co-emperors, dual lieutenants
Tetrarchs
Currency, budget reform to help strengthen the economy
Relative stability disappeared after Diocletian retirement, followed by civil war
Constantine emerged victorious by 324 C.E.
Construction of Constantinople
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23. Outside Invasions of Roman Empire
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Outside Invasions of Roman Empire
Roman Emperor Valerian was captured by Sasanid empire
Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity
Formerly buffer states for Roman empire
Rome did not want Visigoths to settle in the Roman Empire
Attacked by Huns under Attila in fifth century C.E.
Might have been related to the Xiongnu
Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman empire because of the Hun attacks
Sacked Rome in 410 C.E., established Germanic emperor in C.E.
Odoacer killed last Roman emperor Romulus Augustus
Period 2

24. Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Germanic Invasions and the Collapse of the Western Roman Empire, 450–476 C.E.
Period 2

25. Cultural Change in the Late Roman Empire
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
Cultural Change in the Late Roman Empire
Even though the Roman Empire was no more, there were things that survived
The Eastern Roman Empire survived (Constantinople/Byzantine Empire)
Growth of Christianity
Constantine’s vision, 312 C.E.
Edict of Milan, 313 C.E., allowing Christian practice from Constantine
Constantine’s conversion to Christianity
Christianity proclaimed official religion of Roman empire by Emperor Theodosius, 380 C.E.
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26. St. Augustine (354–430 C.E.) Bishop of north African city of Hippo
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
St. Augustine (354–430 C.E.)
Bishop of north African city of Hippo
Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism
Conversion to Christianity, 387 C.E.
Major theologian
His writings taught people there was another option for religion
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27. The Institutional Church
Chapter 12 Silk Roads
The Institutional Church
Since Christianity was so new; there was no official doctrine
Intense debates about quality, authority of early Christian writings
By late fourth century, near consensus on canonical scriptures: New Testament
Rejection of other writings would influence development of orthodox or correct teaching
Church hierarchy established
Bishop of Rome and patriarchs of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople
Subordinate bishops presided over dioceses
Church councils assembled
Nicaea (325 C.E.); Chalcedon (451 C.E.)
Took up issues such as Jesus’ nature
Period 2