Classical Indian Empires
Transcript of Classical Indian Empires
Mauryan Empire• Estab. in 321 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya (great Indian military leader)
• Chandragupta Maurya created Mauryan Empire thru conquest
– Used heavy taxes to create an army of 600,000 soldiers,
30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 elephants to conquer N. India
• Politically unites N. India - 1st time ever
• Taxes creates effective gov’t
• 305 BCE- CGM defended his
new empire against
Alexander the Great who
lead the conquest in the
Indus Valley
• In 269 BC Asoka, CGM’s grandson, became emperor
• After many years of violent conquest, Asoka felt
remorseful
• Converts to Buddhism & rules by Buddha’s teaching of
“peace to all beings”
AsokA’s Reign
• Spreads Buddhism throughout India & other parts of
Asia via missionaries; but tolerant of other religions
• Asoka’s Rock Edicts: Laws carved on rock pillars
are placed throughout the empire
• Stressed concern for other human beings
• Built extensive road system with wells & shelters
• Made travel & communication easier
• Asoka died in 232BC; Kingdoms soon break away
Gupta Empire• After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, India experiences 500
years of chaos
• Finally in 320 CE a strong leader known as Chandra Gupta (not
related to 1st emperor!) starts Gupta Empire
• During India’s 2nd
empire, there is a
flowering of civilization,
& rebirth of Hindu
culture
• Chandra Gupta’s son
expands empire with
years of conquests
Gupta EmpireDaily Life:
• Majority of Indians are farmers; family raises
crops together
• Farmers have to contribute work to gov’t and pay
heavy taxes
• Patriarchal families – headed by the eldest males
Trade:
• India has spices, diamonds, precious stones & good quality timber
• Trade routes → Silk Road connects Asia & Europe; Indians build
trading posts in the middle → MIDDLEMEN
• Indians bought Chinese goods & sold them to traders traveling to Rome
• Increased trade spreads Indian culture/religion to other places
• What do we call this concept? → Cultural diffusion
320 CE to 535 CE: India’s “Golden Age” - flourishing of arts & sciences
Achievements in Science:
• Proved the Earth is round (due to eclipses)
• Identified 7 planets
Achievements in Mathematics:
• Principles of algebra
• Infinity & Zero
• Value of Pi
• Arabic numerals → 1, 2, 3…
Achievements in Medicine:
• Identified over 1,000 diseases
• Invent medical instruments, perform operations, set bones, write
medical guides
guptA’s golden Age
Empire became too big→ hard to rule a large area & began to break apart.
• The Hunas (‘Indian’ Huns) invaded from the north. (*Historians are NOT 100% sure of
the connection b/tw the Hunas and the Huns; see 2 of the theories below.)
• Theory #1: *Were not entirely independent of THE Huns, since they ruled as viceroys for a
Hun overlord.
• Theory #2: *Hephthalites- part of 4 major states = Xyon. Linked to THE Huns (who invaded
E. Europe); there is not much evidence for a connection.
– Sveta Huna (White Huns) invaded N India were most likely Hephthalites. Referred to as
White Huns to distinguish them from other Huns, especially the ones led by Atilla who
invaded the Roman Empire.
– Procopius (“History of the Wars” -mid 6th cen.) claims the Hephthalites “are of the stock
of the Huns in fact as well as in name: however they do not mingle with any of the Huns
known to us. They are the only ones among the Huns who have white bodies….”
guptA’s decline