ChandraguptaChandragupta: : 321 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE-298 BCE
Unified northern India under theUnified northern India under theMauryan Empire using an army of Mauryan Empire using an army of 750,000 men.750,000 men. Defeated the Persian general Defeated the Persian general SeleucusSeleucus. . Divided his empire into provinces, then Divided his empire into provinces, then districts districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement.enforcement. He feared assassination so much that he He feared assassination so much that he used food tasters and slept in different used food tasters and slept in different rooms, etc.rooms, etc. In 301 BCE he gave up his throne & In 301 BCE he gave up his throne & became a Jain.became a Jain.
The Mauryan The Mauryan EmpireEmpire
321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE
KautilyaKautilya Chandragupta’s advisor.Chandragupta’s advisor. Brahmin caste.Brahmin caste. Wrote Wrote The Treatise onThe Treatise on Material Gain Material Gain or the or the ArthashastraArthashastra.. A guide for the king and his A guide for the king and his ministers:ministers:
Supports royal power.Supports royal power. The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchyanarchy.. Therefore, a single authority is Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when needed to employ force when necessary! (Compare to necessary! (Compare to Plato’s Plato’s Republic)Republic)
Asoka (304 – 232 Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)BCE) Religious conversion Religious conversion
after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga in in 262 BCE. 262 BCE. Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to Buddhism. Buddhism. Built extensive roads.Built extensive roads. ConflictConflict How to balance How to balance Kautilya’sKautilya’s methods of keeping methods of keeping powerpower and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless become a selfless person?person?
Ashoka’Ashoka’s s
EmpireEmpire
Ashoka’s law Ashoka’s law codecode Edicts scattered inEdicts scattered in
more than 30 places more than 30 places in India, Nepal, in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan. Pakistan, & Afghanistan. Written mostly inWritten mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic. Greek and Aramaic. 10 rock edicts.10 rock edicts. Each pillar [Each pillar [stupastupa] is 40’-50’ high.] is 40’-50’ high. Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his laws.laws.
One of One of Ashoka’Ashoka’
s s StupasStupas“The slaughter,
death, and removal of captives is a matter of profound sorrow and regret to his Sacred Majesty”
With Ashoka’s death the Mauryan Empire began to fall apart. Taxes no longer came in sufficient amounts. Buddhism shared in the general decline. In 180 B.C. the last Mauryan emperor gave up his throne. India fell into small territorial states as the central government declined.
India experienced invasion from Greeks from Bactria, Scythians, Parthians, and lastly the Kushans who were Buddhist converts. The Brahmins were once again on the defensive. They eventually found a place for all of these invaders in their Hindu caste system.
Turmoil & a power Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Vacuum:
220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE
TamilsTamils
The Maurya Empire is divided into many The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.kingdoms.
Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 ACE 320 ACE – 647 ACE– 647 ACE
Gupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II
ruled. 320 – 335 CEruled. 320 – 335 CE “ “Great King of Great King of Kings”Kings”
Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II ruled. 375 - 415 CEruled. 375 - 415 CE Profitable trade Profitable trade withwith the Mediterranean the Mediterranean world! world!
Hindu revival.Hindu revival. Huns invade – 450 Huns invade – 450 CECE
Fa-Hsien: Life in Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaGupta India
Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the the Silk Road and visited India in the 5 Silk Road and visited India in the 5thth century A.C.E.century A.C.E. He was following the pathHe was following the path of the Buddha. of the Buddha. He reported the people to He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, rapidly assuming its basic features, includingincluding "untouchability," the social isolation of a "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowestlowest class that is doomed to menial labor. class that is doomed to menial labor.
Chandra Gupta Chandra Gupta 1111
International Trade International Trade Routes during the Routes during the
GuptasGuptas
Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:4c4c
spices
spices
spicesspices
gold & gold &
ivoryivorygold & gold & ivoryivory
rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses
cotton goodscotton goods
cotton goodscotton goodssilkssilks
KalidasaKalidasa
The greatest of Indian poets.The greatest of Indian poets. His most famous play was His most famous play was ShakuntalaShakuntala.. During the reign of Chandra Gupta During the reign of Chandra Gupta II. II.
GuptGuptaa
ArtArt
Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &
architecture.architecture.
MedicineMedicine LiteratureLiterature
MathematicsMathematics AstronomyAstronomy
PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal
guidesguides
1000 1000 diseasesdiseasesclassifiedclassified
PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery
C-sectionsC-sectionsperformeperforme
dd
InoculatioInoculationsns
500 healing500 healingplants plants
identifiedidentified
DecimalDecimalSystemSystem
ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero
PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416
KalidasKalidasaa
SolarSolarCalendarCalendar
The The earthearth
is roundis round
GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia
Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme
ntsnts
The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas
Invasion of the White Huns in the 4Invasion of the White Huns in the 4thth century signaled the end of the Gupta century signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Golden Age, even though at first, the Guptas defeated them.Guptas defeated them. After the decline of the Gupta empire, After the decline of the Gupta empire, northnorth India broke into a number of separate India broke into a number of separate HinduHindu kingdoms and was not really unified again kingdoms and was not really unified again untiluntil the coming of the Muslims in the 700’s the coming of the Muslims in the 700’s a.c.e.a.c.e.
BhartrhariBhartrhari 5c India court poet and 5c India court poet and philosopher.philosopher.
Knowledge is man's crowning Knowledge is man's crowning mark,mark,A treasure secretly buried,A treasure secretly buried,The source of luxury, fame, and The source of luxury, fame, and bliss,bliss,A guru most venerable,A guru most venerable,A friend on foreign journeys,A friend on foreign journeys,The pinnacle of divinity.The pinnacle of divinity.Knowledge is valued by kings Knowledge is valued by kings beyond wealth--- beyond wealth---When he lacks it, a man is a When he lacks it, a man is a brute.brute.
