Maurya and Gupta Empires321BC-232BC

PAGE 175

Mauryan Empire

• In the 4th century B.C. the Greeks tried to invade India.

•King Chandragupta Maurya established Empire from Afghanistan to the Ganges (2000 miles by 303 BC).

•*** UNITED northern India politically for the very first time

•TIED to warfare

Asoka and Warfare

•Asoka (Chandragupta’s grandson) became king in 269 BC and expanded the empire.

•Asoka converted to Buddhism and ruled without violence.

•Brought Empire to greatest level of achievement.

•Treated subjects fairly and humanely.

Asoka and Buddhism

•Asoka placed importance on the happiness and welfare of his subjects.

•He built roads and hospitals, and encouraged peace among religions (religious tolerance).

•Asoka ordered missionaries to spread Buddhism throughout India, and built Buddhist shrines (stupas).

Fall of the Mauryan Empire

•Mauryan Empire under Asoka had success in health, education, and individual rights.

•Asoka died in 232 B.C.

•Despite his successes, the Empire began to fall apart after his death.

The Gupta Empire

•In 320 A.D. – 415 AD united the territory around the Ganges River.

•Gupta emperors encouraged peace, prosperity, and trade.

•Patriarchal society.

•All 3 Gupta rulers advanced the arts, literature, religious thought, science and mathematics.

The Golden Age

•The 2 hundred years of Gupta rule are considered the “Golden Age of Hindu Culture.”

•Education flourished - universities.

•ARTS – Classical dance forms and literature, writing academies

Religion in the Gupta Empire

•Buddhists began to worship Buddha as a god.

•Hindus made religion more personal and devoted themselves to Vishnu or Shiva.

•***In most cases, the Gupta emperors allowed religious tolerance.

Mathematics

•Guptas developed the modern numerals we use today (1,2,3…).

•Developed the concepts of zero and infinity.

•Developed the decimal system.

•Discovered the value of PI.

Gupta Astronomy

•Gupta astronomers proved that the earth was round, not flat (eclipse) – 1000 years before Columbus.

•Used Greek (Western) way of keeping time –365 day calendar, 7 days in week and divided days into hours.

•Accurately calculated the solar year and movements of planets.

Gupta Medicine

•Doctors compiled TWO medical books, listing diseases and medicinal plants.

•Set bones, performed surgery, and performed skin grafts.

•Also gave inoculations against disease.

Gupta Trade – Page 179

•The Gupta traded with faraway places such as Arabia, Africa, China, and Southeast Asia.

•OVERLAND TRADE ----

Silk Roads were caravan routes between China and Rome – INDIA was in the middle of the route

SEA TRADE• From India to Rome via (by

way of) the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf

• Chinese traded SILK for cotton cloth

• Increased banking – loans with interest.

•Merchants spread culture and religions

RESULTS of Indian Trade