ClassicalIndian

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

Mauryan Overview

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

Gupta Overview