The Empires of Early India

The Mauryan Empire

The Reign of Chandragupta

• Rise to Power– Chandragupta gathers an army and kills the

king of the ruling family– Unifies most of northern India via military

conquest• 600,000 soldiers

• 30,000 cavalry

• 9,000 men on elephants

The Reign of Chandragupta

• Heavy Taxes– Farmers could pay ½ of their crop value in

taxes

• Bureaucracy – Divides empire into 4 provinces (Pradesikas)– Each province divided into local districts

(Rajjukas & Yuktas)• Local districts controlled taxes and law enforcement

The Reign of Chandragupta

• Paranoia in the palace – Food tasters

– Secret Police

– Slept in a different room every night

– Female body guards

The Reign of Asoka

The Reign of Asoka

• Embraces Buddhism and rules by its teachings

• Edicts– Monuments that

proclaim the reforms & policies of Asoka

The Reign of Asoka

• Unification of Diverse Peoples– Extensive Roadways

– Trees for Shade

– Watering Stops

– Rest Areas

Mauryan Achievements

• Spread of Buddhism throughout India and Asia– Missionaries of

Buddhist monks traveled the Silk Road

• Building of Schools and Libraries in major cities

Bye-Bye Maurya

• After Asoka’s death kings challenged the imperial rule of the Maurya

• High Taxes– Farmers couldn’t feed

empire– Too much $ went to

military and bureaucracy

• Invasion by the Greeks and Persians in

the north• Series of weak

successors• Asoka’s policies?

The Gupta Empire

• Reinforcement of Hinduism– Laws reflect Hindu beliefs– Caste System

• Untouchables - given “impure” jobs, such as grave diggers and street cleaners

The Gupta Empire Golden Age

• Math– Concept of Zero 0, Zilch, Nada, Niente– Decimal System .00099

Gupta Golden Age

• Medicine– Before Beverly Hills,

the Gupta had plastic surgery

– Smallpox Vaccine (1,000 years before Europe)

Gupta Golden Age

• Architecture– Stupas

• Large dome shaped Buddhist shrines

– Street level shops with apartments above

Gupta Golden Age

• Literature– Fables and folk tales in Sanskrit

• Adapted by Egypt, Persia, and Greece

End of Gupta

• Fall of the Gupta– Weak Rulers

– Invasion by the Huns