Download 12. Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads

Chapter 12
Cross-Cultural Exchanges on
the Silk Roads
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Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient
World
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Lack of police enforcement outside of established
settlements
Changed in classical period


Improvement of infrastructure
Development of empires
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Trade Networks Develop
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Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek
colonization
Maintenance of roads, bridges
Discovery of monsoon wind patterns
Increased tariff revenues used to maintain open
routes
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Trade in the Hellenistic World

Bactria/India
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Persia, Egypt

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Grain
Mediterranean

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Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls
Wine, oil, jewelry, art
Development of professional merchant class
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The Silk Roads

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Named for principal commodity from China
Dependent on imperial stability
Overland trade routes from China to Roman
empire
Sea lanes and maritime trade as well
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C 12: Cross Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads
Hellenistic era as stage for
Silk Road Boom?
Why safe to travel now
during the Classic Era?
The Silk Road: 200 BCE – 300 CE
Products?
The Silk Roads, 200 B.C.E.-300 C.E.
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From East Asia:
Ginger, cinnamon, silk
From South Asia:
Pepper, sesame oil
From Central Asia:
From South East Asia:
Clove, nutmeg, mace
From the
Mediterranean:
Glassware, jewelry,
Textiles, pottery
Horses, jade
Organization of Long-Distance Trade

Divided into small segments


Trade done in stages
Sea trade


Malay and Indian mariners
Persian, Egyptian, Greek
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Cultural Trade: Buddhism and
Hinduism

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Merchants carry religious ideas along silk routes
India through central Asia to east Asia
Cosmopolitan centers promote development of
monasteries to shelter traveling merchants
Buddhism becomes dominant faith of silk roads,
200 B.C.E.-1000 C.E.
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The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Christianity, 200 B.C.E.-400 C.E.
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Buddhism in China


Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign
merchant populations
Gradual spread to larger population, beginning
fifth century C.E.
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Spread of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity:
200 BCE -400 CE
Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia
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Sea lanes in Indian Ocean
First century C.E., clear Indian influence in
southeast Asia
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Rulers called “rajas”
Sanskrit used for written communication
Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths
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Christianity in Mediterranean Basin
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Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia,
third century C.E.
Christianity spreads through middle east, north
Africa, Europe
Sizeable communities as far east as India
Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced
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Christianity in Southwest Asia
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Influence of ascetic practices from India
Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies
After fifth century C.E., followed Nestorius

Emphasized human nature of Jesus
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Effects of this Boom in Trade:
Economic activities become more sophisticated and productive
cultural exchange (art, language, religion)/ role of oasis towns
spread of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity
Manichaeism (Best example of religious syncretism along Silk Road)
spread of disease weakened Han and Roman empires in particular
reduction in trade with collapse
Manichaeism
Elements of: Zoroastrianism (Zarathustra), Christianity (Jesus) and
Buddhism (Buddha)
Prophet Mani (216-272 CE): a prophet for all of humanity
Dualism and cosmic struggle (strong rationale for presence of good and evil)
Personal salvation
Strong missionary component
Ascetic lifestyle (no marriage, no sex, no alcohol)
High ethical standards
Manichaeism Priests (3rd – 7th CE)
Spread of Manichaeism
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Mani a devout Zoroastrian (216-272 C.E.)
Viewed himself a prophet for all humanity
Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism
Dualist
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Good vs. evil
Light vs. dark
Spirit vs. matter
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Manichaean Society
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Devout: “the elect”
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Ascetic lifestyle
Celibacy, vegetarianism
Life of prayer and fasting
Laity: “hearers”

Material supporters of “the elect”
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Decline of Manichaeism


Spread through silk routes to major cities in
Roman empire
Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sasanid
persecution


Mani arrested, dies in captivity
Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecute
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The Spread of Epidemic Disease
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Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens
Limited data, but trends in demographics
reasonably clear
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Effect: economic slowdown, move to regional
self-sufficiency
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Epidemics in the Han and Roman
Empires
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Epidemics in the Han and Roman
Empires
Chinese Population, 0600 CE
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
c. 0 c. c. c.
CE 200 400 600
CE CE CE
Millions
Conrad- Demarest?
Roman Population, 0400 CE
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
c. 0 CE c. 200 c. 400
CE
Millions
Internal Decay of the Han State
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Court intrigue
Problem of land distribution
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Large landholders develop private armies
Epidemics
Peasant rebellions

184 C.E., Yellow Turban uprising
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Collapse of the Han Dynasty:
Internal Decay and External Pressures
Spread of Epidemic Disease
Sets the Stage……
Internal Decay:
Generals assume authority,
reduce Emperor to puppet figure
Marriage alliances led to
conflict
 Continued problem of land
distribution
 disease
 Yellow Turban Uprising 184CE
200 CE Han Dynasty abolished,
replaced by 3 kingdoms
External Pressures:
Immigration of northern
nomads increases
Collapse of the Han Dynasty
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Generals assume
authority, reduce emperor
to puppet figure
Alliance with landowners
200 C.E., Han dynasty
abolished, replaced by
three kingdoms
Immigration of northern
nomads increases
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Collapse of the Han Dynasty:
Internal Decay and External Pressures
Effects?
sinicization of
nomadic peoples
(adoption of
sedentary lifestyle,
adoption of Chinese
names, dress,
intermarriage
rise in Buddhism
and Daoism
(Confucianism loses
credibility: WHY?)
 disintegration into
regional states
Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
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
Social and cultural changes to a Chinese way
of life
Adapted to the Chinese environment
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Agriculture
Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage
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Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism
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Disintegration of political order casts doubt on
Confucian doctrines
Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity
Religions of salvation
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Fall of the Roman Empire:
Internal Factors
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The “barracks emperors”
235-284 C.E., twenty-six claimants to the throne,
all but one killed in power struggles
Epidemics
Disintegration of imperial economy in favor of
local and regional self-sufficient economies
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Diocletian (r. 284-305 C.E.)
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Divided empire into two administrative districts
Co-emperors, dual lieutenants
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“Tetrarchs”
Currency, budget reform
Relative stability disappears after Diocletian's
death, civil war follows
Constantine emerges victorious
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Fall of the Roman Empire:
External Factors
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Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity
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Formerly buffer states for Roman empire
Attacked by Huns under Attila in fifth century
C.E.
Massive migration of Germanic peoples into
Roman empire
Sacked Rome in 410 C.E., established Germanic
emperor in 476 C.E.
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Collapse of the Roman Empire:
Internal Decay and External Pressures
Internal Decay:
Tetrarchs?
Role of Constantine?
Constantine r. 313-337 CE
Diocletian r. 284-305 CE
 Barracks Emperors
 Epidemics
 Disintegration of Imperial Economy
 Regional Self Sufficiency favored
Germanic Invasions and the Fall of the
Western Roman Empire, 450-476 C.E.
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Cultural Change in the Roman
Empire
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Growth of Christianity
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Constantine’s vision, 312 C.E.
Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian practice
Converts to Christianity
380 C.E., Emperor Theodosius proclaims
Christianity official religion of Roman empire
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St. Augustine (354-430 C.E.)
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Hippo, north Africa
Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism
387 C.E., converts to Christianity
Major theologian
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The Institutional Church
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Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early
Church
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Divinity of Jesus
Role of women
Church hierarchy established
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Patriarchs, bishop of Rome
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