Section IV: Ancient Indian Section IV: Ancient Indian DynastiesDynasties(Pages 65-69)(Pages 65-69)

This section is about:This section is about: The rise and fall of Chandragupta and his Mauryan Empire.The rise and fall of Chandragupta and his Mauryan Empire. The Gupta Empire.The Gupta Empire. The great advances in arts and sciences at this time.The great advances in arts and sciences at this time.

Two of the best Two of the best known of the known of the ancient Indian ancient Indian cultures are the cultures are the Mauryan and the Mauryan and the Gupta Empires.Gupta Empires.

The first great The first great empire of India was empire of India was formed by formed by Chandragupta Chandragupta MauryaMaurya..

He took control and He took control and united many united many kingdoms in the kingdoms in the Indus River valley Indus River valley about 321 B.C.about 321 B.C.

The Mauryan empire worked The Mauryan empire worked well because it was a well because it was a

bureaucracybureaucracy. . Appointed officials were in Appointed officials were in charge of different charge of different responsibilities (building responsibilities (building roads, running towns, roads, running towns, collecting taxes).collecting taxes).

There were even spies There were even spies keeping track that keeping track that everything was done everything was done correctly.correctly.

Chandragupta had a huge Chandragupta had a huge army: 700,000 men, 9,000 army: 700,000 men, 9,000 elephants, and 10,000 elephants, and 10,000 chariots.chariots.

He also improved business He also improved business and trade for the empire and trade for the empire Built canals, created jobs, Built canals, created jobs, built roads to link built roads to link everything, and traded everything, and traded everywhere they knew of.everywhere they knew of.

(a government system of (a government system of departments – run by appointed departments – run by appointed officials)officials)

Chandragupta’s grandson Chandragupta’s grandson ((AsokaAsoka)…)…

……was the most admired of the was the most admired of the empires rulers.empires rulers.

After losing more than 100,000 After losing more than 100,000 men in a battle, Asoka changed men in a battle, Asoka changed his mind about violence and his mind about violence and became a Buddhist.became a Buddhist.

He won the support of India’s He won the support of India’s people through kindness and now people through kindness and now saw himself as the protector of saw himself as the protector of his people.his people.

He tried to lead his people by He tried to lead his people by example (and not by force).example (and not by force).

He began placing He began placing edictsedicts (orders) (orders) around places people would around places people would gather- promoting goodness, gather- promoting goodness, compassion, truthfulness, purity, compassion, truthfulness, purity, tolerance, and gentleness.tolerance, and gentleness.

Mauryan society was greatly improved Mauryan society was greatly improved by Asoka’s changes. He…by Asoka’s changes. He…

Dug wells along major roads Dug wells along major roads for travelers.for travelers.

Grew herbs and provided Grew herbs and provided medical care.medical care.

Prohibited the slaughter of Prohibited the slaughter of animals for food (Buddhism).animals for food (Buddhism).

Tried to get “ministers” to Tried to get “ministers” to help him make a more caring, help him make a more caring, tolerant society -even among tolerant society -even among different castes.different castes.

Promoted religious tolerance.Promoted religious tolerance. Gave assistance to the Gave assistance to the

elderly.elderly. Personally donated large Personally donated large

sums of money.sums of money.

All this helped spread All this helped spread BuddhismBuddhism

to other parts of Asiato other parts of Asia

The empire failed when it couldn’t The empire failed when it couldn’t unite the entire sub-continent into one unite the entire sub-continent into one

group.group. Fifty years after Asoka died, Fifty years after Asoka died,

the empire was pretty much the empire was pretty much gone.gone.

We’re not sure why, but…We’re not sure why, but… May have been too spread out May have been too spread out

to be unitedto be united The economy may have The economy may have

weakened.weakened. Agriculture may not have Agriculture may not have

been able to keep up with the been able to keep up with the population.population.

But… about 500 years later, a But… about 500 years later, a new empire would rise up in new empire would rise up in IndiaIndia

The Gupta EmpireThe Gupta Empire (about 320 A.D.)(about 320 A.D.)

Was not as large as the Was not as large as the Mauryan Empire.Mauryan Empire.

Because it had good Because it had good military leaders, no one military leaders, no one bothered them for about bothered them for about 300 years.300 years.

Because it was peaceful, Because it was peaceful, the people could the people could concentrate more on concentrate more on developing art, music, developing art, music, writing, literature, and writing, literature, and architecture.architecture.

The empire was set up The empire was set up different than the Mauryan different than the Mauryan

EmpireEmpire Divided into territories – each Divided into territories – each

governed by a member of the governed by a member of the royal family,royal family,

The people in these individual The people in these individual territories worked together territories worked together pretty well – they all had pretty well – they all had mostly common interests.mostly common interests.

Chandragupta IChandragupta I and his son and his son Chandragupta IIChandragupta II (not related to (not related to the Mauryan ruler) helped the Mauryan ruler) helped build up the Gupta empire.build up the Gupta empire.

The empire lasted until about The empire lasted until about 650 A.D. (when the Huns 650 A.D. (when the Huns invaded from the north). invaded from the north). There were many kingdoms at There were many kingdoms at that time who wanted to that time who wanted to control Indiacontrol India

Gupta Art and Architecture:Gupta Art and Architecture:

Art, architecture, math, and Art, architecture, math, and science were huge in the science were huge in the Gupta Empire.Gupta Empire.

They also supported both They also supported both Buddhism and Hinduism.Buddhism and Hinduism.

Mural paintings and sculpture Mural paintings and sculpture from the time show details of from the time show details of how the people lived.how the people lived.

They also built magnificent They also built magnificent stone temples – usually simple stone temples – usually simple buildings with heavy walls that buildings with heavy walls that had an image of a had an image of a deitydeity (god). (god).

Some also had elaborate Some also had elaborate carvings that told the story of carvings that told the story of the Buddha.the Buddha.

LiteratureLiterature

The Gupta wrote in The Gupta wrote in “Sanskrit” – their “Sanskrit” – their official language.official language.

India’s greatest India’s greatest Sanskrit poet was Sanskrit poet was Kalidasa: who wrote: Kalidasa: who wrote: “The Cloud Messenger” “The Cloud Messenger” about a man who about a man who misses his wife and misses his wife and shares his sadness shares his sadness with a passing cloud.with a passing cloud.

There was another set There was another set of stories called the of stories called the Panchatantra – a Panchatantra – a collection of animal collection of animal fablesfables

Science, medicine, and education Science, medicine, and education also flourished in the Gupta Empirealso flourished in the Gupta Empire

They even had centers of They even had centers of learning – or universities – learning – or universities – probably the first of their kind probably the first of their kind in the world. in the world.

Students were taught Students were taught medicine, physics, languages, medicine, physics, languages, mathematics, and literature.mathematics, and literature.

In mathematics, they came up In mathematics, they came up with the idea of using a with the idea of using a number system with a decimal number system with a decimal point and a zero. Aryabhata point and a zero. Aryabhata also probably came up with also probably came up with the ideas for Algebra and a the ideas for Algebra and a decimal system that counted decimal system that counted in tens.in tens.

They also studied astronomy They also studied astronomy and knew the earth had a and knew the earth had a round shape and rotated on round shape and rotated on an axis.an axis.