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Download The Decline of Empires - Rincon History Department
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The Decline of Empires Han, Gupta, Rome The Big Picture • There was no one reason for the decline of any of the Period 2 empires. – Not just barbarians! • There was a combination of factors. Decline of Han c. 100 – 220 CE • Confucianism less influential • Central government’s control decreased – Weak emperors – Corrupt bureaucrats • Local landlords (elites) gained power – Decadent living at expense of commoners – Hurt peasants (taxed more heavily) • Led to Civil unrest (Yellow Turbins) – Daoist leaders rebelled against corrupt bureaucrats promising golden age brought by divine magic. Failed, but weakened the Han. • Plague – 2nd century C.E. = Likely killed about half the population in the empire. • Nomadic invaders. – Xiongnu most prominent. A word about nomads • Great horsemen – Huge military advantage • Influential in spreading: – Ideas – Technology – Disease • And yes, they did do some invading. Consequences of Han decline • Three Kingdoms Period – 400 years of chaos (like warring states period) • Confucianism continues – Tradition strongly established in Han. • Daoism increases influence. • Buddhism spreads to China along Silk Road. • New faiths popular during unstable times. – Religious syncretism. • Later dynasties revived strong bureaucracy and Confucianism. Decline of Gupta (India) c. 5th century to 600 C.E. • India always more local/region (except for Mauryan) – Gupta never strong central authority. • Hun invaders overthrew Gupta Consequences of Gupta decline • Regionalism continued • Hun invaders become Hindu, incorporated into warrior caste. – Hun leaders ruled regional territories • Culture/religion (Hinduism) remained intact. Decline of Rome 180 – 476 C.E. • In-fighting over who will be emperor – No succession laws – Army involved – 22 emperors between 235-284, almost all murdered violently • Decadence of Roman emperors and elites – Their pleasure more important than common good. • Birthrates declined in favor of pleasure-seeking. • Plague (after 180 C.E.) – Population in Rome went from 1 million to 250,000. – Few soldiers (for defense) • Actually tried using Germanic soldiers in Roman armies. – Economy destroyed • Huge empire overextended. A weakened Roman Empire cannot defend itself. • Invasions by Germanic tribes (nomads) Consequences of Rome decline • Introduction of new religion, Christianity, for majority (unlike Gupta or Hun collapse). • Empire divided, east and west (happened before collapse). Western Collapse • Western Roman Empire completely collapsed – Medieval Europe • Feudalism – Complete decline in centralized government. – Christian church became Western Europe identity • Increased power and influence • Papal authority • Catholicism Eastern Roman Empire lives on • East – Became Byzantine Empire – Much less decline – Christianity was religious identity • Eastern Orthodox – Other Roman traditions continue • Centralized bureaucracy • Laws (Justinian’s Code)
