Chapter 12 Crosscultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads

Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World • Lack of police enforcement outsied of established

Trade Networks Develop • Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek colonization • Maintenance

Trade in the Hellenistic World • Bactria/India – Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls •

The Silk Roads • Named for principal commodity from China • Dependent on imperial

The Silk Roads, 200 BCE-300 CE Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc.

Organization of Long-Distance Trade • Divided into small segments • Tariffs and tolls finance

Cultural Trade: Buddhism and Hinduism • Merchants carry religious ideas along silk routes •

The Spread of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, 200 BCE – 400 CE Copyright ©

Buddhism in China • Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations • Gradual spread

Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia • Sea lanes in Indian Ocean • 1

Christianity in Mediterranean Basin • Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia 3 rd c. CE

Christianity in SW Asia • Influence of ascetic practices from India • Desert-dwelling hermits,

Spread of Manichaeism • Mani Zoroastrian prophet (216 -272 CE) • Influenced by Christianity

Manichaean Society • Devout: “the Elect” – Ascetic lifestyle – Celibacy, vegetarianism – Life

Decline of Manichaeism • Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman Empire

The Spread of Epidemic Disease • Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens

Epidemics in the Han and Roman Empires Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies

Internal Decay of the Han State • Court intrigue • Formation of actions •

Collapse of the Han Dynasty • Generals assume authority, reduce Emperor to puppet figure

Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples • “China-fication” • Adoption of sedentary lifestyle – Agriculture •

Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism • Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian

Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors • The Barracks Emperors • 235 -284

Diocletan (r. 284 -305 CE) • Divided empire into two administrative districts • Co-Emperors,

Fall of the Roman Empire: External Factors • Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity

Germanic invasions and the fall of the western Roman empire, 450 -476 C. E.

Cultural Change in the Roman Empire • Growth of Christianity – Constantine’s Vision, 312

St. Augustine (354 -430 CE) • Hippo, North Africa • Experimented with Greek thought,

The Institutional Church • Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early Church – Divinity

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Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World • Lack of police enforcement outsied of established settlements • Changed in classical period – Improvement of infrastructure – Development of empires Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Trade Networks Develop • 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 Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Trade in the Hellenistic World • Bactria/India – Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls • Persia, Egypt – Grain • Mediterranean – Wine, oil, jewelry, art • Development of professional merchant class Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

The Silk Roads • 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 Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Organization of Long-Distance Trade • Divided into small segments • Tariffs and tolls finance local supervision • Tax income incentives to maintain safety, maintenance of passage Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Cultural Trade: Buddhism and Hinduism • 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 BCE-700 CE Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Buddhism in China • Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations • Gradual spread to larger population beginning 5 th c. CE Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia • Sea lanes in Indian Ocean • 1 st c. CE clear Indian influence in SE Asia – Rulers called “rajas” – Sanskrit used for written communication – Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Christianity in Mediterranean Basin • Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia 3 rd c. CE • Christianity spreads through Middle East, North Africa, Europe • Sizeable communities as far east as India • Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Christianity in SW Asia • Influence of ascetic practices from India • Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies • After 5 th c. CE, followed Nestorios – Emphasized human nature of Jesus Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Spread of Manichaeism • Mani Zoroastrian prophet (216 -272 CE) • Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism • Dualist – good vs. evil – light vs. dark – spirit vs. matter Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Manichaean Society • Devout: “the Elect” – Ascetic lifestyle – Celibacy, vegetarianism – Life of prayer and fasting • Laity: “the Hearers” – Material supporters of “the Elect” Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Decline of Manichaeism • Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman Empire • Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sassanid persecution – Mani arrested, dies in captivity • Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecute Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

The Spread of Epidemic Disease • 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 selfsufficiency Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Internal Decay of the Han State • Court intrigue • Formation of actions • Problem of land distribution – Large landholders develop private armies • Epidemics • Peasant rebellions – 184 CE Yellow Turban Rebellion Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Collapse of the Han Dynasty • Generals assume authority, reduce Emperor to puppet figure • Alliance with landowners • 200 CE Han Dynasty abolished, replaced by 3 kingdoms • Immigration of northern nomads increases Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples • “China-fication” • Adoption of sedentary lifestyle – Agriculture • Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism • Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines • Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity • Religions of salvation Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors • The Barracks Emperors • 235 -284 26 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 Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Diocletan (r. 284 -305 CE) • Divided empire into two administrative districts • Co-Emperors, dual Lieutenants – “Tetrarchs” • Currency, budget reform • Relative stability disappears after Diocletans’s death, civil war follows • Constantine emerges victorious Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Fall of the Roman Empire: External Factors • Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity – Formerly buffer states for Roman Empire • Attacked by Huns under Attila in 5 th c. CE • Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman Empire • Sacked Rome in 410 CE, established Germanic emperor in 476 Ce Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

Cultural Change in the Roman Empire • Growth of Christianity – Constantine’s Vision, 312 CE – Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian practice – Converts to Christianity • 380 CE Emperor Theodosius proclaims Christianity official religion of Roman Empire Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

St. Augustine (354 -430 CE) • Hippo, North Africa • Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism • 387 converts to Christianity • Major theologian Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.

The Institutional Church • Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early Church – Divinity of Jesus – Role of women • Church hierarchy established – Patriarchs, Bishop of Rome primus inter pares Copyright © 2006 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.