The Maurya The Maurya EmpireEmpire

The Maurya The Maurya EmpireEmpire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

Unified northern India. Indus to GangesUnified northern India. Indus to Ganges

First unified centralized First unified centralized government in Indiagovernment in India

Defeated the Macedon/PersianDefeated the Macedon/Persian

general general Seleucus.Seleucus. Divided his empire intoDivided his empire into provinces, then districts provinces, then districts

for for taxtax assessments and law assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.

He feared assassinationHe feared assassination Used spies, food Used spies, food tasters, tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.slept in different rooms, etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & became gave up his throne & became a Jainist Monk. Some say he starved a Jainist Monk. Some say he starved

himself to death.himself to death.

ChandraguptaChandragupta: : 321 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE-298 BCE

ChandraguptaChandragupta: : 321 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE-298 BCE

KautilyaKautilyaKautilyaKautilya Chandragupta’s advisor.Chandragupta’s advisor.

Set up a Set up a bureaucraticbureaucratic administrative system that administrative system that

made policies for empire.made policies for empire.

Wrote Wrote The Treatise onThe Treatise on Material Gain Material Gain or the or the ArthashastraArthashastra.. A guide for the king and his ministers:A guide for the king and his ministers:

Supports royal power. Supports royal power. 600,000 infantry, 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants.30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants.

The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchy.anarchy. Therefore, a single authority is Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when needed to employ force when necessary!necessary!

Kautilya advising Kautilya advising ChandraguptaChandragupta

Kautilya advising Kautilya advising ChandraguptaChandragupta

Ashoka the Ashoka the GreatGreat

Ashoka the Ashoka the GreatGreat

Ashoka’s Ashoka’s GovernmentGovernmentUtilized

tightly organized

bureaucracy

Rock and Pillar Edicts – imperial laws based on

Buddhist values

Set up a central treasury to

oversee collection of taxes – used to support officials soldiers, others

Established capital city

at Pataliputra

Stable government led

to growing economy and expansion of agriculture

Built system of roads that connected

major cities

Ashoka the Ashoka the GreatGreat

Ashoka (304 – 232 Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE)BCE)

Ashoka (304 – 232 Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE)BCE) Religious conversion Religious conversion

after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of Kalinga Kalinga in in 262 BCE. 100,000 died 262 BCE. 100,000 died

Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to BuddhismBuddhism. Ahimsa “Peace”. Ahimsa “Peace”

ConflictConflict how to balance Kautilya’s how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person? become a selfless person?

AshokAshoka’s a’s

EmpireEmpire

AshokAshoka’s a’s

EmpireEmpire

Ashoka’s law Ashoka’s law codecode

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 SanskritSanskrit, but one was in , but one was in Greek and Aramaic. Greek and Aramaic.

10 rock edicts, Each pillar 10 rock edicts, Each pillar [[stupastupa]] is 40’-50’ high.is 40’-50’ high.

Buddhist principles dominated Buddhist principles dominated laws. (laws. (Conversion/spread of Buddhism,Moral Conversion/spread of Buddhism,Moral

codes,Conservation, Protection of animalscodes,Conservation, Protection of animals))

Ashoka’s Ashoka’s EdictsEdicts

Ashoka’s Ashoka’s EdictsEdicts

WomenWomenUnder Under

ananAshokaAshoka

treetree

WomenWomenUnder Under

ananAshokaAshoka

treetree

Turmoil & a power Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Vacuum:

220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Turmoil & a power Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Vacuum:

220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Tamils

Tamils

The Maurya Empire is divided into many The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.kingdoms.

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta RulersGupta RulersGupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II

r. 320 – 335 CEr. 320 – 335 CE

“ “Great King of Great King of Kings”Kings”

HinduHindu revival. revival.

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II r. 375 - 415 CEr. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade Profitable trade withwith the Mediterranean the Mediterranean world. world.

HunsHuns invade–450 invade–450 CECE

Fa-Hsien (Faxian): Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien (Faxian): Life in Gupta IndiaIndia

Fa-Hsien (Faxian): Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien (Faxian): Life in Gupta IndiaIndia

Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the the Silk RoadSilk Road and visited India in the 5c. and visited India in the 5c.

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 that the caste systemcaste system was was rapidly assuming its basic features, rapidly assuming its basic features, includingincluding "untouchability,""untouchability," the social isolation of a the social isolation of a lowestlowest class that is doomed to menial labor. class that is doomed to menial labor.

Chandra Gupta Chandra Gupta IIII

Chandra Gupta Chandra Gupta IIII

International Trade International Trade Routes during the Routes during the

GuptasGuptas

International Trade International Trade Routes during the Routes during the

GuptasGuptas

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:Land Route = Silk RoadLand Route = Silk Road

Water Route = Water Route = Indian OceanIndian Ocean

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:Land Route = Silk RoadLand Route = Silk Road

Water Route = Water Route = Indian OceanIndian Ocean

spices

spices

spicesspices

gold & gold &

ivoryivory

gold & gold & ivoryivory

rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

PearlsPearls

KalidasaKalidasaKalidasaKalidasa

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

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &

architecture.architecture.

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature

MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal

guidesguides

1000 1000 diseasesdiseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformeperforme

dd

InoculatioInoculationsns

500 healing500 healingplants plants

identifiedidentified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof of ZeroZero

PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416

KalidasKalidasaa

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The The earthearth

is roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsntsMahabbaratMahabbarataa

Ramayana

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

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 AgeGolden Age, even though at first, the , 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 kingdomskingdoms and was not really unified again and was not really unified again untiluntil the coming of the Muslims in the 17 the coming of the Muslims in the 17thth century.century.

QUESTIONQUESTION:: Is the best literature and art written as Is the best literature and art written as the civilization is on the rise, at its the civilization is on the rise, at its height, or in its decline? height, or in its decline?

BhartrhariBhartrhariBhartrhariBhartrhari 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.

Gupta ReviewGupta Review

Draw another frame to the cartoon that reflects why the Gupta is a

Classic Empire.