ClassicalClassicalINDIA:INDIA:

Maurya and Gupta Maurya and Gupta EmpiresEmpires

Varna (Social Hierarchy)

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

Kshatriyas Kshatriyas

Those with no caste: Untouchables

BrahminsBrahminsWhat is a JATI?Draw

This!

The Caste SystemSOCIAL CLASSES= Purusha’s mouth arms legs feet

Brahmins

Kshatriyas

Vaishyas

Shudras

The Maurya EmpireThe Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

CHANDRAGUPTACHANDRAGUPTA Chandragupta Maurya unified Chandragupta Maurya unified northern India. Extremely northern India. Extremely centralized!centralized! Divided empire intoDivided empire into provinces & districts provinces & districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement. Feared assassination Feared assassination food food tasters, slept in different rooms, tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.etc. 301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & becamebecamea Jain a Jain (religion focusing on (religion focusing on complete non-violence).complete non-violence).

KautilyaKautilya Chandragupta’s advisor.Chandragupta’s advisor. Wrote the Wrote the ArthashastraArthashastra:: A guide A guide for the king and his for the king and his ministersministers

Supports royal power.Supports royal power. The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchyanarchy.. Therefore, Therefore, a single a single authority is authority is needed to employ force needed to employ force when when necessary! necessary!

Ashoka Ashoka 304-232 BCE304-232 BCE Ashoka = most important Ashoka = most important ruler of Mauryaruler of Maurya Religious conversion Religious conversion after gruesome after gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga Religiously tolerantReligiously tolerant Patronized BuddhismPatronized Buddhism Put up pillars all over India, Put up pillars all over India, declaring the peacedeclaring the peaceful intent of ful intent of his empirehis empire

MauryaMauryan n

Empire Empire under under

Ashoka Ashoka – –

HUGE!HUGE!

Ashoka’s law Ashoka’s law codecode Written mostly inWritten mostly in

Sanskrit, but one was in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic – Greek and Aramaic – Cosmopolitan (?)Cosmopolitan (?)empire!empire!

Buddhist principles dominate Buddhist principles dominate his laws.his laws. Focus on: nonviolence, morality, & religious toleration

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

TamilsTamils

The Mauryan Empire gets divided into The Mauryan Empire gets divided into many kingdomsmany kingdoms

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

Gupta EmpireGupta EmpireChandragupta II was the Chandragupta II was the most important ruler. most important ruler. (Why (Why that name?) that name?) Profitable trade of cotton & Profitable trade of cotton & pepperpepperGuptas were Hindu, not Guptas were Hindu, not BuddhistsBuddhists

Buddhism began to merge Buddhism began to merge back within Hinduism back within Hinduism (Buddha became just (Buddha became just another Hindu god)another Hindu god)

Less centralized & smaller Less centralized & smaller than Mauryanthan MauryanTheater State – Cultural Theater State – Cultural dominancedominance

Empire under Empire under

Chandragupta IIChandragupta II

Xuanzang: Life in Gupta Xuanzang: Life in Gupta India India

§ Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Roads and visited India in the 5 Silk Roads and visited India in the 5thth century.century.§ 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 Routes International Trade Routes during the Guptasduring the Guptas

Extensive TradeExtensive Trade

spices

spices

spicesspices

cottoncotton

cotton goodscotton goodssilkssilks

GuptaGuptaArtArt

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

architecture.architecture.

Borobudur, Indonesia

MedicineMedicine

MathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedical guidesmedical guides

1000 diseases1000 diseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformedperformed

VaccinationsVaccinations

500 healing500 healingplants identifiedplants identified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero

PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The earthThe earthis roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievementsAchievements

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

Invasion by White Huns in the Invasion by White Huns in the 500s = end of the Gupta Golden 500s = end of the Gupta Golden AgeAgeDecline of Gupta empire – Decline of Gupta empire –

North India broke into many North India broke into many separate Hindu kingdoms ruled separate Hindu kingdoms ruled by rajputs (Hindu princes)by rajputs (Hindu princes)

Indian History is marked by a big Indian History is marked by a big debate: Unity vs. Disunitydebate: Unity vs. Disunity