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a. Persian Empire
i. 500BCE- empire stretched from Nile to Afghanistan
ii. welcomed cultural diffusion
iii. monarchy
1. cult of kingship
a. king can only be approached through elaborate
ritual
2. Satraps
a. Governors in different regions
3. Imperial spy system
iv. Respect for non-Persian cultures
v. Standard coinage
vi. Taxes
vii. Strict Infrastructure
1. canal
2. Great Royal Road
a. Facilitated communion and trade
b. Postal service
viii. Cyrus is first king and creates Empire
ix. Darius expands empire and is known for administration
x. Social
1. Class levels
2. Slaves (laborers, domestic workers)
a. POW
b. Debtors
3. Priest and priestesses
4. Artisans
5. Low ranking civil workers
6. Textiles is big- work of woman
xi. Religion
1. Polytheistic
a. Major deity with lesser gods
2. Zoroastrianism has roots here
a. Will later influence Christianity and Judaism
b. Mauryan and Gupta Empire in India
i. Mauryan
1. 321 bce
2. Chandragupta Maurya founded it
3. Ashoka Maurya- grandson
a. Expands empire to greatest heights
b. Gain power and wealth through trade
c. Silk, cotton, elephants were traded to
Mesopotamia and Roman Empire
d. Powerful military
e. After seeing great amounts of violence he
converts to Buddhism (preaches non-violence)
f. Rock and Pillar Edicts
i. Guidelines for good and righteous living
ii. Beginning of great spread of Buddhism
g. Empire declines after his death
ii. Gupta
1. 320-550 C.E.
2. Chandra Gupta
a. More decentralized
b. Golden Age
i. relative peace
ii. advances in the arts
iii. mathematicians- develop pi and zero
iv. influenced later Arabic numerals
v. Hinduism was prominent
vi. Women were losing rights
1. Totally under control of men
c. Qin and Han in China
i. 403 BCE- 221 BCE
1. Warring States
ii. Qin
1. State-building
2. Legalism
a. Idea that China’s problems can be solved by
China’s leaders and laws and punishment
b. Promotes harsh unification under Shihuangdi
i. Brutality of dynasty discredits legalism
but puts end to warring states
c. Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty—
221 bce the king of the Qin proclaimed himself
the first emperor and decreed that
descendants would follow him and reign. Qin
Shihuangdi (221-210 bce)
d. Established tradition of centralized imperial rule
and large scale political organization
e. Shihuangdi ordered workers to link the existing
sections of a wall into a massive defense
barrier—the beginning of the GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
i. HATED Confucianism and had many
books burned
ii. Built the Terra-Cotta Army to protect his
tomb
3. Confucianism
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Confucius
Emerges at a time of political instability
Goal- Solve China’s disorder
Values education and family structure
Works are complied in Analects
Unequal relationships in family, between
genders, and in society (Hierarchy and
Patriarchy)
i. Hierarchies should create order
g. Education is the key to moral betterment
h. Personal reflection and willingness to perfect
moral character
i. Arose in contrast to legalism
j. Effort to restore past golden age (focus on
history)
k. Somewhat of a democratic notion as exams
can be opened up to all males
l. Not centered around a spiritual life but on
family and this world
4. Daoism
iii. Han
1. IMPORTANT: China REMAINED under
CENTRALIZED RULE!
2. Adopted Confucianism and other ruler never looks at
legalism as a viable way of ruling
3. The Han Dynasty consolidated the tradition of
centralized imperial rule that the Qin Dynasty had
pioneered
4. Han Wudi—reason for the Han Dynasty’s success“Martial Emperor” fifty four year reign
a. ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRALIZATION AND
IPERIAL EXPANSION:
i. Built roads and canals to improve trade
ii. Established the Confucian University
to educate men about government
service –Confucianism was
established as the OFFICIAL imperial
ideology – civil service exam
iii. Greatest foreign challenge was the
Xiongnu—nomads form the steppes
of central Asia who spoke a Turkish
language. Han Wudi attacked and
took over much of the Xiongnu
territory- creating a vast empire.
iv. Qin and Han— social order—CONTINUITY from Zhou era.
Patriarchal households
v. CONTINUITY: as in the Shang and Zhou—still China was
very much dependent on an agricultural economy
vi. Iron metallurgy— the ready availability of iron had
important military implications. Craftsmen designed suits of
iron armory to protect soldiers—strength and sharpness of
Han swords, spear`s, and arrowheads helped to explain the
success of Chinese armies vs. Xiongnu. Also, aided in
increased trade with the production of more agricultural
products (better farm equipment)
1. Change: Han craftsmen invented paper.
2. Textile production –silk –became an important
industry.
vii. Silk Roads: begin to develop and foster long distance trade
Downfall:
 In spite of general prosperity, China became to experience economic and social
difficulties
 Military adventures and central Asian policy of Han Wudi caused economic
strain. Expeditions against the Xiongnu and the establishment of agricultural
colonies in central Asia were extremely expensive undertakings.
 High taxes
 Social Tensions: distinctions between rich and poor hardened – silk was worn by
wealthy. Poor classes used rough hemp clothing – material items in other words.
 HIGH TAXES: people couldn’t afford the land they had once owned—had to
sell, even sell family members into slavery. Landowners became a minority
elite. People started to get rebellious.
 Yellow Turban Uprising: growing banditry and rebellion with restive and large
peasant class.
o Yellow Turban Uprising refers to the rebel group who revolted during the
Han dynasty and tested the resilience of the Han state  Weakened the
state
 Rivalry within the empire/government saw internal unrest
 Following the Han Dynasty China was divided for 4 centuries into 4 regional
kingdoms—GOODBYE CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT..until we meet again
during the Sui Dynasty
CLASSICAL GREECE
 In contrast to the Persians—Greece was made up of small, competing City-States
not a monarchy that governed a broad, and far reaching empire
 Much smaller than Persia
 Geography was important to its development
 Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and others…
 Greece—popular participation in government
 Sparta—known for extreme militarism
 Athens—the area of the Greek political experiment
 Solon—a reforming leader. 594 BCE –broke the aristocratic
families who previously held all the power. After the great
reformer, Salon, debt slavery was abolished, access to public office
was opened to a wider group of men, and all citizens were allowed
to take part in the Assembly.
The Greeks
DEPENDEND ON TRADE BECAUSE LACKED RESOURCES—Mediterranean
Trade
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City-States vs. centralized government
Small and competing
750 b.c.e.
Often collided with the Persians
In contrast with Persia:
 Much smaller in size: Greece was 2 million/Persia more like 35 million
 Geographically much different—Persia vast, long stretching land vs. Greece
which was a peninsula with many divisions
 Greece: small settlements within each city state
 City-states were fiercely independent
 Olympics briefly unified the city-states every 4 years
 The Greeks settled in distant places, they didn’t conquer like the Persians
 GREATEST DIFFERENCE: Greek popular participation in government
o “citizenship” of free people running the affairs of state, of equality for all
citizens before the law
o Persia: rigid hierarchies, inequalities and absolute monarchies
o What is Greek Participation:
 Direct democracy, not representative. Limited as well- women,
slaves, foreigners, were not included.
 Early on only the wealthy and wellborn had the rights to full
citizenship, such as speaking and voting in the assembly, holding
public office, and fighting in the army.
 Gradually middle class and lower class men, farmers, also obtained
these rights.
 Direct Democracy
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Women, foreigners and slaves were excluded form the
population of citizens and politically excluded. They
were 50% of the population
Greco-Persian Wars:
 Athens had led a coalition of more than thirty Greek city-states on the basis of its
naval power, but Athenian leadership in the struggle against Persian aggression
had spawned an imperialism of its own. After the war, Athenian efforts to solidify
its dominant position among the allies led to bitter resentment.
 Followed by the Golden Age of Greece- Pericles (greatness of democracyPericles Funeral Oration)
o Pantheon was built
o Theater thrived
o Sophocles, Euripides
 Peloponnesian War
o Athens was defeated by Sparta and led the way for a new, stronger group
to dominate—the Macedonians
Alexander: around 330 b.c.e.
 Defeated the Persian empire
 Chief significance—widespread dissemination of Greek culture during the
Hellenistic era.
 Greek cities—theaters, sculptures, monuments, councils, assemblies,
 Defeated Darius III
 Encouraged intermarriage of Greeks and conquered
 MAJOR SPREAD OF CULTURE
6. Hellenistic cities were much more culturally diverse than original Greek citystates a. were not independent, but part of conquest
states b. Macedonians and Greeks formed the elite c. cultural interaction and
blending were still
possible
ROME
 In 509 bce Rome became a Republic
 Republic includes 2 consuls who were elected by an assembly which was
dominated b the wealthy—patricians
 The Senate made up of patricians advised the consuls
 Tenesions between the patricians and the common people-the plebeians.
 When a civil or military crisis occurred, a dictator was appointed for six months
 Rome had strong adversaries—Carthage in North Africa
 Punic Wars took place between 264 and 146.
 Rome sacked the city of Carthage solidifying its domination of the Mediterranean
 Rome expanded east into the former empire of Alexander
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Rome became an EMPIRE
Wealth led to the unequal distribution of the land and class tension.
Wealthy had large plantations and slave labor
Julius Caesar led the Roman army in its conquest of Gaul in 46 bce and made
himself dictator for life.
He centralized military and political functions and initiated large scale building
projects.
Senators feared Caesar was becoming a tyrant and assassinated him.
His nephew, Octavian, took over, and in 27 bce was given the title Augustus.
During his 45 year rule, Rome was a monarchy disguised as a republic.
He centralized political and military rule but preserved the traditions of the
republic.
Continued expansion of the empire—growing economy
Pax Romana—Roman Peace
Rome’s law in 450 bce was the Twelve Tables.
Key to Roman success was its roads
The 60,000 miles of roads linked the empires 100 million people
Made merchants very rich
Uniform currency was used
Rome was patriarchal
1/3 of the population was salves
Roman culture was inspired by the Greeks
Polytheistic like the Greeks and believed that the gods intervened directly in their
lives
Christians, originally a Jewish sect, were seen as a threat to Roman rule and were
often persecuted. However, the number of Christians continued to grow
throughout the empire. By 313 ce Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of
Milan which legalized Xty in the Empire
By 380 Emperor Theodosius proclaimed Xty to be the empire’s official religion
Greek architecture, columns and arches
Improvements in engineering
Invention of concrete
Public baths, temples, aqueducts and a system of roads.
The Fall of Classical Empires:
CHART
1.
2.
3.
4.
Economic Reasons
Political Reasons
Social Reasons
Role of Nomads
1. What is the impact of interaction among major societies at this time? (Trade,
systems of exchange, war, diplomacy)
d. Long distance trade expanded greatly during the classical period,
allowing for the movement of goods and ideas.
e. There’re were a few factors: The Han Empire secured the trade
routes through Central Asia, the Mauryan Empire had declined in
India, but regional states were able to provide the necessary
stability and security, and the Romans kept the Mediterranean Sea
safe for trade and travel. This stability and security allowed for long
distance trade to thrive.
f. Silk Road:
i. Began during the Han Dynasty
ii. Central Asia brought horses
iii. Silk
iv. New inventions such as saddles, horse stirrups, helped Silk
Road merchants move heavier loads across longer
distances.
v. Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism also were transformed
as they moved along the Silk Roads
g. Indian Ocean
i. Referred to as the sea lanes of the silk Roads
ii. From southern China through the south China Sea into the
Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf
iii. Religion and culture spread across the seas
iv. Some merchants spread Buddhism to Southeast Asia
v. Others promoted the Hindu religion
h. Roman Lake—Mediterranean Sea
i. The Roman Empire surrounded the Sea
ii. Romans kept their lake safe and free from pirates which
allowed the trade to thrive and grow and transport goods
form one part of the empire to the other
i. Spread of Disease—during the 2nd and third centuries CE both the
Han and Roman Empires suffered large scale outbreaks of
epidemic disease.
i. From the trade and interaction that had taken place, the
incidence of disease increased.
ii. Smallpox, measles, and bubonic plague
iii. 2nd century of the Roman Empire population dropped by
25% and it was even worse in cities
j. Bantu Migrations: began around 2000 bce and by 1000 ce the
Bantu occupied most of sub Saharan Africa.
i. Resources were stretched to their limits as the population
increased
ii. Around 1000 bce the Bantus began to produce iron and iron
tools which enabled them to clear more land and expand
agriculture. This led to an increase in population and more
migration.
iii. 500—ce cultivation of bananas
k. War—Greeks and Persians, Romans and North Africa/Barbarians,
China and nomads
l. Alexander the Great—absorbing other cultures – Macedonians
didn’t want to destroy Athens they wanted to become
Athenian…become Greek
m. You can see much Greek in Roman architecture
n. The Spread of Religions…
2. Describe the relationships of change and continuity across the world
in this period.
Most remained
Most saw the growth of major world religions
Most were strongly impacted by world trade
Similar falls
Changes
India
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Europe- Rome
Centralized
government
Social hierarchy
became entrenched in
Hinduism
Changed politically
Changing attitudes towards
religion
China
Expansion
Highly centralized
Continuities
Social hierarchy
Importance of religion—even
though religion changed from
polytheism to monotheism
with xty.
Edict of Milan—very
important
Patriarchal
Agricultural based economy
By Han adopted
Confucianism not legalism
Expansion and defeat of
Xiongnu
Mesoamerica
Africa
Greater populations
Continued migrations
Europe- Greece
Changed from centered
around Athens to the rise of
Macedonia
City states remained
competitive
Underwent political changes
and government changes—
became increasingly more
democratic in terms of who
was allowed to participate in
government
3. What is the impact of technology and demography on people and the
environment for this period? (Population growth, decline, disease,
manufacturing, migration, agriculture, weaponry)
Technology:
Greece: Architecture and temple building, pillars and columns – sculptures
Rome: Heavily influenced by the Greeks in terms of art and architecture Roman
architecture took its inspiration from Greece—columns and arches were more ornate.
Improvements in engineering, including the invention of concrete, allowed the Romans to
build stadiums, public baths, temples, aqueducts and systems of roads (via)
China: Great time of invention and innovation. Agriculture was aided by wheelbarrow,
while watermills were created to grind grain. Compass aided sea travel. PAPER
invention, increased availability o written word—important to education as valued by
Confucius.
4. Describe the systems of social structure and gender structure
(Comparing major features within and among societies, assessing
change)
Rome: Patriarchal with the eldest male, pater familias, ruled as father of the
family. Roman law gave the pater familias authority to arrange marriage for the
children and the right to sell them into slavery…women’s roles were in
supervising domestic affairs, laws put strict limits on their inheritances. Slaves
were 1/3 of the population.
Greece: Patriarchal society with fairly strict social divisions. Women under the
authority of fathers, husbands, and sons. Most women owned no land and wore
veils. Could be a priestess
India: Patriarchal –strict social structure; Women were forbidden from reading
the sacred prayers (the Vedas) under Hindu law they were legally minors and
subject to the supervision of their fathers, husbands, and sons.
Caste distinctions became more prominent during the Gupta with the Hindu
Caste System.
China: Patriarchal, with a set social structure. A woman’s most important role
was to make a proper marriage that would strengthen the family’s alliances.
Socially the highest class was that of the scholar-gentry. Confucian ideals
advocated filial piety.
5. Describe culture and intellectual developments and interactions
among and within societies.
Greece: Homer and the Iliad and the Odyssey
Culturally the Greeks stressed importance on human life and a growing appreciation
of human beauty. Polytheistic, --believed Gods were personification of nature. Each
city- state had its own patron god or goddess for whom rituals were performed.
(Athens – Athena)
Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living” – Plato wrote The Republic.
Plato’s student Aristotle wrote on biology, physics, astronomy, politics and ethics.
Aristotle the father of logic – deductive reasoning
India: After the battle of Kalinga (260 BCE) Buddhism in India. Encouraged the spread
of the religion by building monasteries and stupas. Ashoka built missionaries who
facilitated the spread of Buddhism to Central Asia. Hinduism gradually eclipsed the
influence of Buddhism. The Guptas gave land grants to Brahmins, supported education
that promoted Hindu values, and built great temples in urban centers. Unlike Greek art,
Indian art during this time stressed symbolism rather than accurate representation. Math
and science flourished. Pi was calculated. Developed zero and a number system –became
the Arabic numbers that we use today.
Rome: Polytheistic, like the Greeks, believed the gods intervened directly in their lives.
China: Daoism—close to nature had a lasting impact on China. Reverence for nature
became a central value of the Han people. Importance of family.