ChandraguptaChandragupta: 321 BCE-298 : 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE

ChandraguptaChandragupta: 321 BCE-298 : 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE

Unified northern India.Unified northern India.

Challenged the Greeks and Challenged the Greeks and created the Mauryan Empire created the Mauryan Empire

Divided his empire intoDivided his empire into provinces, then districts provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.

He feared assassination He feared assassination [like Saddam[like Saddam Hussein] Hussein] food tasters, slept in food tasters, slept in differentdifferent rooms, etc. rooms, etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & helpedhelped spread Buddhism spread Buddhism

The Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

KautilyaKautilyaKautilyaKautilya Chandragupta’s advisorChandragupta’s advisor..

Brahmin caste.Brahmin caste.

Wrote Wrote The Treatise onThe Treatise on Material Gain Material Gain or the or the ArthashastraArthashastra..

A guide for the king and his A guide for the king and his ministers:ministers:

Supports royal power.Supports royal power.

The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchyanarchy..

Therefore, a single authority is Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when needed to employ force when necessary! necessary!

AsokaAsoka (304 – 232 BCE) (304 – 232 BCE)AsokaAsoka (304 – 232 BCE) (304 – 232 BCE)

Religious conversion Religious conversion after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga in in 262 BCE. 262 BCE.

Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to BuddhismBuddhism..

Built extensive roadsBuilt extensive roads..

Conflict Conflict how to balance how to balance Kautilya’sKautilya’s methods of keeping methods of keeping powerpower and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless become a selfless person?person?

AsokAsoka’s a’s

EmpiEmpirere

AsokAsoka’s a’s

EmpiEmpirere

Asoka’s law codeAsoka’s law codeAsoka’s law codeAsoka’s law code

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

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

10 rock edicts10 rock edicts..

Each pillar [Each pillar [stupastupa] is 40’-50’ high.] is 40’-50’ high.

Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his lawslaws..

One One of of

AsokAsoka’sa’sStStupasupas

One One of of

AsokAsoka’sa’sStStupasupas

WomenWomenUnder Under

ananAsokaAsokatreetree

WomenWomenUnder Under

ananAsokaAsokatreetree

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Tamils

Tamils

The Maurya Empire is divided into many The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.kingdoms.

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta RulersGupta RulersGupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II

r. 320 – 335 CEr. 320 – 335 CE

“ “Great King of Great King of Kings”Kings”

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II r. 375 - 415 CEr. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade Profitable trade withwith the Mediterranean the Mediterranean world! world!

Hindu revivalHindu revival

Huns invade – 450 Huns invade – 450 CECE

Fa-HsienFa-Hsien: Life in : Life in Gupta IndiaGupta India

Fa-HsienFa-Hsien: Life in : Life in Gupta IndiaGupta India Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along

the the Silk Road Silk Road and visited India in the 5c.and visited India in the 5c.

He was following the pathHe was following the path of the Buddha. of the Buddha.

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

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II

International Trade International Trade Routes during the GuptasRoutes during the Guptas

International Trade International Trade Routes during the GuptasRoutes during the Guptas

Extensive TradeExtensive Trade Extensive TradeExtensive Trade

spices

spices

spicesspices

gold & gold &

ivoryivory

gold & gold & ivoryivory

rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

KalidasaKalidasaKalidasaKalidasa

The greatest of Indian poetsThe greatest of Indian poets..

His most famous play was His most famous play was ShakuntalaShakuntala..

During the reign of Chandra Gupta During the reign of Chandra Gupta II. II.

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &

architecture.architecture.

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature

MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal

guidesguides

1000 1000 diseasesdiseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformeperforme

dd

InoculatioInoculationsns

500 healing500 healingplants plants

identifiedidentified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero

PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416

KalidasKalidasaa

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The The earthearth

is roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c

signaledsignaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even , even thoughthough at first, the Guptas defeated them. at first, the Guptas defeated them.

After the decline of the Gupta empire, After the decline of the Gupta empire, northnorth India broke into a number of separate India broke into a number of separate HinduHindu kingdoms kingdoms and was not really unified again and was not really unified again untiluntil the coming of the Muslims in the 7c. the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.

THE SRIVIJAYAN KINGDOM

THE SRIVIJAYAN KINGDOM

• located on Sumatra

• dominated the new southern trade route through the Strait of Malacca

Political SystemPolitical System

•Combined four different ecological Combined four different ecological zones zones and their local rulers and their local rulers under under the authority of the Srivijayan kingthe authority of the Srivijayan king•These four zones were: (1) the core These four zones were: (1) the core area along the Musi River; (2) the area along the Musi River; (2) the upland Sumatran interior; (3) river upland Sumatran interior; (3) river ports; and (4) the fertile rice lands of ports; and (4) the fertile rice lands of central Java. central Java.

The Power of the KingThe Power of the King

•maintained their control over this complex maintained their control over this complex system through a combination of system through a combination of military military power, diplomacy and control of tradepower, diplomacy and control of trade•used the splendor of their capital to attract used the splendor of their capital to attract resources and laborresources and labor•temporal power of the kings was temporal power of the kings was enhanced by popular belief in their magical enhanced by popular belief in their magical powerspowers•patronized Buddhist monasteries and patronized Buddhist monasteries and schools.schools.

Influence of Indian CultureInfluence of Indian Culture• powerful influence on Srivijayan concepts powerful influence on Srivijayan concepts

of kingship and governmentof kingship and government• Hindu and Buddhist religions became Hindu and Buddhist religions became

dominant dominant • they borrowed selectively from Indian they borrowed selectively from Indian

civilization and civilization and adapted what they adapted what they borrowed to their own culture and needsborrowed to their own culture and needs

Srivijayan DeclineSrivijayan Decline

• Changes in trade routes led Changes in trade routes led to the decline of Srivijaya to the decline of Srivijaya in in the eleventh century. The the eleventh century. The capital was destroyed in capital was destroyed in 1025 by the Chola kingdom. 1025 by the Chola kingdom.