1. EXCHANGES, CHANGES AND COLLAPSES:
INTERACTIONS AT THE END OF THE CLASSICAL AGE

2. THE CLASSICAL WORLD

3. WARFARE Civil Wars in Rome Nomadic Invasions
Rival generals seeking to gain emperorship
Conflicts between Arabs under Zenobia, Monophysites in Egypt with Romans
Nomadic Invasions
Huns in Mediterranean, Persia, India
Kushans in India
Central Asians in China
Agriculturalist Migration leads to war
Germans migrated into empire to avoid Huns
Romans too weak to resist German take over
Great Power Wars
Rome (Eastern Roman Empire) and Sassanids
War lasted on and off two hundred years
War exhausted both empires
Eastern Roman Empire bribed Germans, Huns to go west
Civil Wars in China and India
Rival dynasties struggle to reestablish control in China, India
Often exacerbated by nomadic invasions
Results
Depopulation of many areas; Destruction of agriculture
Loss of trade as warfare, piracy stop flow
Spread of diseases

4. LAND AND SEA ROUTES

5. OCEAN TRADE NETWORKS
Regulated not controlled at various stages by locally dominant states
Most merchants accepted an unwritten code of conduct
Trade was largely peaceful and protected by dominant powers
Powers cooperated to protect against pirates
The Indian Ocean to China Trade Network
Based on the monsoon patterns
NE Winds blow ships towards India, SE Asia
SW Winds blow ships towards Arabia, Africa
Intricate System of stopovers, entrepots required
Indian Ocean divided into three zones
Western zone dominated by Arabs, Persians, Ethiopians
Middle Zone between India and SE Asia dominated by Indians
Eastern Zone from SE Asia to China dominated by Chinese
Major ports called entrepots at exchange points along divisions
Goods exchanged tended to be luxuries with exception of rice, wood
Trade in the Hellenistic Mediterranean
Dominated by Greeks, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Jews, later Arabs
Besides various commodities, also slave trade
Links to Indian Ocean network through Egypt, Ethiopia

6. LAND TRADE ROUTES Most famous called Silk Road Trade goods
Overland trade routes linked China to Mediterranean basin
Sea-lanes joined Asia and Mediterranean basin into one network
Trade goods
Silk and spices traveled west
Central Asia produced large horses and jade, sold in China
Mediterranean provided glassware, jewelry, art works, perfumes, textiles
The organization of long-distance trade
Merchants of different regions handled trade in stages
Similar to Indian Ocean to China trade network
Merchants tended to be Armenians, Nestorians, some Jews
Controlled, protected most of length by Central Asian nomads
Many smaller routes connect to Silk Road
Arabs controlled desert routes into Arabia between Egypt, Persia
Arameans, Nestorians control much of SW Asia
Bactrians, Sogdians, Kushans control routes into India
Romans lost gold, silver as their people desired luxuries

7. CULTURAL EXCHANGES: BUDDHISM AND HINDUISM
Buddhism in Central Asia
First present in oasis towns of central Asia along silk roads
Further spread to steppelands
Spread by merchants traveling from India to China
Hellenized Bactrians, Kushans heavily influenced by Buddhism
Buddhism in China
Foreign merchants as Buddhists in China, 1st century B.C.E.
Popularity of monasteries and missionaries, 5th century C.E.
Many early conversions during time of troubles in China
Buddhism and Hinduism in Southeast Asia
Spread by Hindu merchants; later Buddhist missionaries
Conversion of local ruling elites so they could control lucrative trade
Rulers referred to themselves as rajas ("kings")
Adopted Sanskrit as written language
Many rulers converted to Buddhism, others promoted Hindu cults
Buddhist or Hindu advisors in government
Rise of new civilizations due to influence: Khmer, Srivijava, Mahajavit
Many of first Christian “heresies” were Buddhist influenced

8. SPREAD OF INDIAN FAITHS

9. SPREAD OF BUDDHISM

10. FORMS OF BUDDHISM

11. SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY
Christianity in the Mediterranean basin
Built upon existing Jewish, Phoenician, Greek trading areas
First converts poor, women, merchants attracted by Christian message
First converts often at lowest end of social pyramid
Leading Christian cities (Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Rome)
Christian communities flourished especially in areas connected to trade
Paul of Tarsus visited mostly trading areas; was followed by many others
Ephesians, Corinthians, Thessalonians were all trading areas
Apostles, missionaries used protected trade routes to move about
Mark converted Egypt by tradition
Christianity in Southwest Asia
Sizable communities in Mesopotamia and Iran by 2nd century C.E.
Sizable number of converts in southwest Asia until the 7th century C.E.
Their ascetic practices influenced Christian practices in the Roman empire
St. Thomas by tradition carried Christianity to trading cities of S. India
Monophysites – Another Interpretation of Christianity
A Christian sect developed in southwest Asia
Nestorians emphasized human nature of Jesus, 5th century C.E.
Copts of Egypt and Ethiopia emphasize his divinity
Armenians, Georgians, Egyptians, Ethiopians 1st nations to convert
Condemned by General Church councils as a heresy
Strong influence in Arabia, possibly influencing Muhammad
Communities in central Asia, India, and China, 7th century C.E.
Tended to be trusted because had no official states to support, protect them

12. CULTURAL CHANGES IN MEDITERRANEAN
Prominence of Christianity
Constantine's edict of Milan made Christianity a legitimate religion
Called Council of Nicaea to solve conflicts within Church (Nicene Creed)
Ordered a book (byblos) to be complied of agreed upon Christian works
Emperor Theodosius made Christianity official state religion, 380 C.E.
St. Jerome translated Bible into Latin
St. Augustine harmonized Christianity with Platonic thought
St. Ulfias converted Germans to Arianism
The institutional church
Conflicting doctrines and practices among early Christians
No one dominant belief about Christianity
Current belief was an outgrowth of compromise, discussion
Many early schisms and controversies
Donatists: should those who adjure Christianity be allowed to return
Arians: Christ is solely human
Monophysites: Christ is divine, human; each part is separate, one is dominant
Established standardized hierarchy of church officials
Bishop of Rome (Pope) became spiritual leader (Petrine Doctrine)
Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople patriarchal cities
After Rome, Christianity served as a cultural foundation

13. SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY

14. SPREAD OF MANICHAEISM Mani and Manichaeism Spread of Manichaeism
Prophet Mani, a Zoroastrian, drew influence from Christianity and Buddhism
Perceived a cosmic struggle between light and darkness, good and evil
Offered means to achieve personal salvation
Ascetic lifestyle and high ethical standards
Differentiation between "the elect“ and the "hearers"
Spread of Manichaeism
Attracted converts first in Mesopotamia and east Mediterranean region
Special appeal to merchants as hearers
Appeared in all large cities of Roman empire, 3rd century C.E.
St. Augustine was one of the most prominent who practiced it
Persecutions
The Sasanid (Persian) rulers suppressed Mani's movement
Roman authorities also persecuted Manichaeans
Manichaeism survived in central Asia

15. SPREAD OF MANICHAEISM

16. SPREAD OF EPIDEMICS Pandemic vs. Epidemic Epidemic diseases
Epidemic is a disease which strikes all groups in one region
Pandemic is a disease which strikes simultaneously many regions
Often spread by war, trade, missionaries
Epidemic diseases
Common epidemics in Rome and China
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Mediterranean: population fell ¼ from 1st to 10th century C.E.
China: population fell ¼ from the 1st to 7th century C.E.
Persia, Ethiopia effected; India seems to have been missed
Effects of epidemic diseases
Chinese and Roman economies contracted; trade stiffled
Small regional economies emerged
Epidemics weakened Han and Roman empires

17. FALL OF THE HAN DYNASTY Internal decay of the Han state
Problems of factions and land distribution
The Yellow Turban rebellion, 184 C.E.
Collapse of the Han dynasty
Generals usurped political authority, emperor was a puppet
By 220, generals abolished Han, divided empire
Nomadic peoples invaded, further dividing old Han Empire
Cultural Change in Post-Han China
Sinicization of nomadic peoples
Withering of Confucianism
Confucianism failed to maintain order; too aristocratic
More individuals turned to Daoism, Buddhism: both offered hope
Daoism changed to a religion of salvation
Popularity of Buddhism
Buddhism received strong support from nomadic rulers
Between 4th/6th centuries C.E., Buddhism well established
Buddhism often supported by nomads, lower classes, women
Many made donations of land, money to Buddhists
Buddhism merged with Chinese traditions: became religion

18. THREE KINGDOMS

19. INTERNAL DECAY OF ROME Barrack Emperors
Between 235 and 284 C.E., generals frequently seized the throne
Most barracks emperors died violently in coups, assassination
The sheer size of the empire became a problem of control
Emperor Diocletian ( C.E.)
Divided the empire into two administrative parts
Western Roman Empire ruled from Rome
Eastern Roman Empire ruled from Nicomedia
Tetrarchy: Rule by Four
Two Emperors called Augustus; basically political emperor
Two Associated rulers called Caesars: basically war emperor
Reforms saved empire for 200 years
Froze social classes; created feudalism
Persecuted Christians to unite empire
Reformed Roman army and defenses to fight invaders
The emperor Constantine
Constantine seized power, claimed to be sole emperor
Established a new capital city
Constantinople on Bosporus
Area was richer, easy to defend, more Christian; better base of power
Legalized Christianity through Edict of Milan

20. COLLAPSE IN INDIA Guptan Dynasty Dynasty’s worries
Lacked strong central government
Provinces only owed tribute, tax, respect to central ruler
Provincial rulers viewed emperor as related to gods
But local areas largely self-governing
Relied on provincial rule, type of feudalism
Regional leaders often stronger than emperor
Dynasty’s worries
Civil war between regional leaders
Invasions by Central Asia including White Huns
Beaten off by Guptans but seriously weakened empire
Continued raids by Huns, Central Asians kept empire in turmoil
Large scale migrations from Northern India to Southern parts
Dynasty ceased to exist; attempted revival failed
Regional states broke off, constant warfare follows

21. GUPTAN EMPIRE

22. NOMADIC INVASIONS Germanic migrations The Huns
From northern Europe, lived in eastern, northern parts of empire
Most notable were Goths
Visigoths settled in Spain, S. France; Ostrogoths settled in Italy
Settled as agriculturalists, mercenary soldiers and allies of Rome
Created a modified law of German tradition and Roman law
Roman authorities kept Germanic peoples on the borders as a buffer
The Huns
Called Xiong-nu by Chinese; Chinese defeated them, sent west
Huns invaded Roman Empire
White Huns invaded India
Black Huns invaded Persia
Under Attila, Huns began expeditions from the mid-5th century C.E.
Soon disappeared after the death of Attila in 453 C.E.
The collapse of the western Roman empire
Under Huns' pressure, Germanic peoples moved into Roman empire
Established settlements in Italy, Gaul, Spain, Britain, and north Africa
Goths and Vandals sacked Rome on two separate occasions
Germanic general Odovacer deposed the Roman emperor, 476 C.E.
Imperial authority survived in eastern half of empire (Byzantines)
Nomadic states in Western Europe, North Africa

23. INVASIONS AND MIGRATIONS

24. WHAT REMAINED? Cosmopolitan Culture Interregional Contacts
Most of the areas retained their faith, social structures
New faiths often served to preserve old ways
Most areas retained idea of former classical ways as an ideal
Most disruptions to top hierarchy especially aristocrats, rulers
Interregional Contacts
While not eliminated were often severely lessoned
Regions tended to fall back on themselves, older traditions
Which collapse was worse?
Roman was very severe because it was so dramatic
Eastern Empire survived but it was no longer Latin
New rulers were radically different from previous rulers
Christianity was relatively new, different from older Latin traditions
Sassanid collapse worst; culture disappeared under Islam
Indian, Chinese collapses was hardly noticed
Traditions remained; elites remained often running new local states
Ancient religious hierarchies often still in place locally, nationally