The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India

State, Society, & the Quest for Salvation

Do Now: Read TWEDY on India’s Geography And evaluate its role on Classical India

Idea of empire was less prominent

    Fall of Indus Valley civilization by 1500 BCE Creation of new civilization along Ganges River Debate continues over role of Aryan invaders 1500-500 BCE: Sanskrit language, earliest literature; caste system: nobles, priests, poets, warriors, workers

Foundation of Classical Civilization by 600 BCE

 Enormous political, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity  Indian civilization as a whole shaped by political fragmentation and cultural diversity  Identity provided by distinctive religious tradition and social organization: Hinduism and the caste system

"The genius of India consists of synthesis"  It is the combination of parts into a new whole.

 India's early language, Sanskrit, is the basis for many of modern languages such as Russian, Slavic, Indian, Farsi, Greek, Latin and all the Romance languages, Germanic, Scandinavian, English.

 Its Vedic mythology is the basis for Greek and Roman myths.

 India's language was exported to the West while part of its religious philosophy, Buddhism, was exported to East Asia (China, Japan, SE Asia).

India Before the Mauryan Dynasty

      563 - 463 BCE : Gautama Buddha 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west India Introduces Persian ruling pattern 327 BCE Alexander of the Great destroys Persian Empire in India Troops mutiny, depart after two years , political power vacuum New government will be influenced by Persian and Greek penetration of northwest through Khyber Pass of Hindu Kush Mountains

Chronology of Indian History



400 - 100 BCE: Mauryan Age: Emperor Asoka patronizes Buddhism



320 - 450 CE: Gupta Dynasty - Golden Age of Indian Civilization



450 CE: White Hun invasions

State, Society, & the Quest for Salvation in India  The Fortunes of Empire in Classical India  The Mauryan Dynasty & the Temporary Unification of India

The Mauryan & Gupta Empires, 321 B.C.E. – 550 C.E

.

COT

         Continuities: Patriarchal Hinduism predominates Central trading location ( Maritime and Overland) Fragmented geographically Role of monsoon winds for trade and agriculture Caste Decentralized political structure due to geography Dowry/child brides          Changes: Kautilya advises Chandragupta Mauryan Buddhism state sponsored under Asoka Mauryan Greek influence on statuary and literature(Silk Routes) Increase in trade under Classical leadership Rock pillar edicts establish Pax Mauryan Division of Buddhism into Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu monumental architecture Gupta Golden Age: Mathematics, decimal system, surgery techniques, treaties on smallpox,    Hindu epic literature: Mahabharata, Ramayana ( Baghavad Gita) Code of Manu- Hindu laws including Sati ( Window immolation) Kalidassa’s poetry

Mauryan Empire

326 BCE – 184 BCE

The Mauryan Dynasty & the Temporary Unification of India

 Ruled all but southern tip of India  Population of about 50 million people  Large military and civilian bureaucracy: the administration of a government chiefly through bureaus or departments staffed with nonelected officials  State-operated industries

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)

§ Religious conversion to Buddhism after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE.

§ Dedicated his life to Buddhism.

§ Built extensive roads.

§ Conflict: How to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?

Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma

 The Four Noble Truths  all life is suffering  there is an end to suffering  removing desire removes suffering  this may be done through the eight-fold path  (right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration)

Appeal of Buddhism

 Less dependence on Brahmins for ritual activities  No recognition of caste, jati status  Philosophy of moderate consumption  Public service through lay teaching  Use of vernacular, not Sanskrit

Asoka ’s Empir e,

r. 268 232 BCE

Asoka’s law code

§ Edicts scattered in more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan.

§ Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic.

§ 10 rock edicts.

§ Each pillar [

stupa

] is 40’-50’ high.

§ Buddhist principles dominate his laws as he makes an effort to develop a moral code for his empire. Religious tolerance, remorse for aggression (Ahimsa), conquest through teaching, welfare for all

Decline of the Mauryan Empire

 Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka  High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue  Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire  Disappears by 185 BCE

Ashoka Lion Capital ~ Legacy

Regional Kingdom: Bactria

 Northwestern India  Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Alexander’s campaigns  Intense cultural activity accompanies active trade

Turmoil & a Power Vacuum: 220 BCE – 320 CE

The Mauryan Empire is divided into many kingdoms.

The Gupta Dynasty

 Based in Magadha  Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CE  Slightly smaller than Mauryan Empire  Highly decentralized leadership  Gupta Decline  Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5 th c. CE  Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines  Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16 th c.

Gupta Empire:

CE 320 CE – 647

Society & Economy

    Gender Relations    Patriarchy entrenched Child marriage common (8 year old girls married to men in 20s) Women encouraged to remain in private sphere Castes & Guilds Wealth & the Social Order Economy: Towns & Manufacturing  Manufactured goods in big demand   Developed in dense network of small workshops Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across India

Gupta Rulers

§

Chandra Gupta I

v

r. 320 – 335 CE

v

“Great King of Kings”

§

Chandra Gupta II

v

r. 375 - 415 CE

v

Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world

§

Hindu revival

§

Huns invade – 450 CE

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India

 Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Road and visited India in the 5th century.

 He was following the path of the Buddha.

 He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

Extensive Trade 4th century

spices gold & ivory

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

500 healing plants identified 1000 diseases classified Printed medicinal guides Plastic Surgery Medicine

Gupta Achievemen

Kalidasa

ts

Literature C-sections performed Inoculations Gupta India Solar Calendar Astronomy Decimal System Mathematics Concept of Zero PI = 3.1416

The earth is round

The Decline of the

 defeated them.

Guptas

Golden Age, even though at first, the Gupta  After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7th century.

 Great cultural diversity  Caste system encouraged local loyalties 

QUESTION: Is the best literature and art written as the civilization is on the rise, at its height, or in its decline?

Indian trade flourished despite lack of unity

 Merchants and artisans patronized public buildings and festivals  Hinduism & Buddhism spread through much of Asia; Indian mathematics & astronomy as well  Trade along the Silk Roads  Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin  Seasonal sea trade expands  Spring/winter winds blow from south-west, fall/winter winds blow from north-west  Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean

Classical India COT

 Classical India’s caste system regulated social order despite the fact that it would have to compete with Buddhism in the Mauryan Empire, patriarchy through Hinduism minimized women’s roles, but eventually the increasingly decentralized Gupta Empire would be toppled by Huns