Mauryan Empire

And

Gupta Dynasty

The Mauryan and Gupta empiresThe Mauryan and Gupta empires321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.

India Before the Mauryan India Before the Mauryan DynastyDynasty

• 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west Indiaconquers north-west India

• Introduces Persian ruling patternIntroduces Persian ruling pattern

• 327 Alexander of Macedon destroys 327 Alexander of Macedon destroys Persian Empire in IndiaPersian Empire in India

• Troops mutiny, departs after 2 yearsTroops mutiny, departs after 2 years– Political power vacuumPolitical power vacuum

Kingdom of MagadhaKingdom of Magadha

• Most significant remaining kingdom after Most significant remaining kingdom after AlexanderAlexander’’s departures departure

• Central Ganges plainCentral Ganges plain

• Economic strengthEconomic strength– AgricultureAgriculture

– Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of BengalTrade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal

• Dominated surrounding regions in north-Dominated surrounding regions in north-eastern Indiaeastern India

Chandragupta MauryaChandragupta Maurya

• Took advantage of power vacuum left by Took advantage of power vacuum left by AlexanderAlexander

• Overthrew Magadha rulersOverthrew Magadha rulers

• Founder of Maurya Empire - Founder of Maurya Empire - creates 1creates 1stst unified Indian empireunified Indian empire

The Maurya EmpireThe Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE

Founder of Mauryan EmpireFounder of Mauryan Empire

Unified northern India.Unified northern India.

Defeated the PersianDefeated the Persian general Seleucus. general Seleucus.

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 food food tasters, slept in differenttasters, slept in different rooms, etc. rooms, etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & becamebecame a Jain. a Jain.

Kautilya (or Chanakya)Kautilya (or Chanakya) Kautilya (or Chanakya)Kautilya (or Chanakya)

ChandraguptaChandragupta’’s advisor.s advisor.

Brahmin caste.Brahmin caste.

Wrote Wrote The Treatise onThe Treatise on Material Gain Material Gain or or thethe Arthashastra (advice manual)Arthashastra (advice manual)..

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!

ChandraguptaChandragupta’’s s GovernmentGovernment

• Like Persia & China, built a bureaucratic Like Persia & China, built a bureaucratic administrative system.administrative system.

• Domestic policiesDomestic policies– Network of spiesNetwork of spies

• Legend: Chandragupta retires to become Legend: Chandragupta retires to become a monk, starves himself to deatha monk, starves himself to death

Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE)Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE)

• Grandson of ChandraguptaGrandson of Chandragupta• Represents high point of Mauryan Represents high point of Mauryan

Empire, r. 268-232 BCEEmpire, r. 268-232 BCE• Expanded empire to include all of Expanded empire to include all of

Indian subcontinent except for Indian subcontinent except for southsouth

• Positive leadership integrated Positive leadership integrated Indian societyIndian society

• Est. capital @ PataliputraEst. capital @ Pataliputra• Better known as a governor Better known as a governor

than conquerorthan conqueror

AshokaAshokaAshokaAshoka Religious conversion Religious conversion after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE. 262 BCE.

Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to Buddhism Buddhism..

Built extensive roads.Built extensive roads.

ConflictConflict how to balance how to balance KautilyaKautilya’’ss methods of keeping methods of keeping powerpower and Buddha and Buddha’’s demands tos demands to become a selfless become a selfless person?person?

AshokaAshoka’’s law codes law codeAshokaAshoka’’s law codes law code Wrote law code on rocks or Wrote law code on rocks or pillars (Stupas) pillars (Stupas)

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 edicts.10 rock edicts.

Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his lawslaws..

WomenWomenUnder anUnder an

AsokaAsokatreetree

WomenWomenUnder anUnder an

AsokaAsokatreetree

Decline of the Mauryan Decline of the Mauryan EmpireEmpire

• Economic crisis follows death of Economic crisis follows death of AshokaAshoka

• High costs of bureaucracy, military not High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenuesupported by tax revenue

• Frequent devaluations of currency to Frequent devaluations of currency to pay salariespay salaries

• Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Regions begin to abandon Mauryan EmpireEmpire– Disappears by 185 BCEDisappears by 185 BCE

Regional Kingdom: BactriaRegional Kingdom: Bactria

• Northwestern IndiaNorthwestern India

• Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of AlexanderAlexander’’s campaignss campaigns

• Intense cultural activity accompanies Intense cultural activity accompanies active tradeactive trade

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.

Regional Kingdom: KushRegional Kingdom: Kush

• Nomads of Central AsiaNomads of Central Asia

• Ruled C. 1-300 CERuled C. 1-300 CE

• Maintained silk road trade networkMaintained silk road trade network

• High point under the rule of Kashika, High point under the rule of Kashika, empire expands thruout So. Asia.empire expands thruout So. Asia.

The Gupta DynastyThe Gupta Dynasty

• Based in MagadhaBased in Magadha

• Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CEChandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CE

• Slightly smaller than Mauryan EmpireSlightly smaller than Mauryan Empire

• Highly decentralized leadershipHighly decentralized leadership

• Foundations for studies in natural sciences Foundations for studies in natural sciences and mathematicsand mathematics

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 KingsKings””

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

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

Hindu revival.Hindu revival.

Huns invade – 450 Huns invade – 450 CECE

Fa-Xian: Life in Gupta Fa-Xian: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia

Fa-Xian: Life in Gupta Fa-Xian: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along

the the Silk Road and visited India in the 5c. Silk Road 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, indicate the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, rapidly assuming its basic features, includingincluding "untouchability," the social isolation of a "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowestlowest class that is doomed to menial labor. class that is doomed to menial labor.

International Trade International Trade Routes during the Routes during the

GuptasGuptas

International Trade International Trade Routes during the Routes during the

GuptasGuptas

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:4c4c

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:4c4c

spices

spices

spicesspices

gold & gold &

ivoryivory

gold & gold & ivoryivory

rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

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

architecture.architecture.

KalidasaKalidasaKalidasaKalidasa

The greatest of Indian poets.The 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.

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

Solar Calendar Solar Calendar and eclipsesand eclipses

The earthThe earthis round is round

and and rotatesrotates

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievemenAchievemen

tsts

Gupta Gupta AchievemenAchievemen

tsts

Gupta DeclineGupta Decline

• Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5thth c. c. CECE

• Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault linesregional fault lines

• Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16Mughal Empire founded in 16thth c. c.