Classical INDIA Maurya and Gupta Empires Varna Social

Classical INDIA: Maurya and Gupta Empires

Varna (Social Hierarchy) Draw This! What is a JATI? Brahmins Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras Those with no caste: Untouchables

The Caste System §SOCIAL CLASSES= Brahmins Kshatriyas § Purusha’s mouth § arms Vaishyas § legs § feet Shudras

The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE

CHANDRAGUPTA § Chandragupta Maurya unified northern India. Extremely centralized! § Divided empire into provinces & districts for tax assessments and law enforcement. § Feared assassination food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc. § 301 BCE gave up his throne & became a Jain (religion focusing on complete nonviolence).

Kautilya § Chandragupta’s advisor. § Wrote the Arthashastra: § A guide for the king and his ministers Ø Supports royal power. The great evil in society is anarchy. Ø Ø Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when necessary!

Ashoka 304 -232 BCE § Ashoka = most important ruler of Maurya §Religious conversion after gruesome battle of Kalinga § Religiously tolerant § Patronized Buddhism § Put up pillars all over India, declaring the peace ful intent of his empire

Mauryan Empire under Ashoka – HUGE!

Ashoka’s law code § Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic – Cosmopolitan (diverse) empire! § Buddhist principles dominate his laws. § Focus on: nonviolence, morality, & religious toleration

Turmoil & a power Vacuum: 220 BCE – 320 CE Ta mi ls The Mauryan Empire gets divided into many kingdoms

Gupta Empire : 320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta Empire §Chandragupta II was the most important ruler. (Why that name? ) §Profitable trade of cotton & pepper §Guptas were Hindu, not Buddhists §Buddhism began to merge back within Hinduism (Buddha became just another Hindu god) § Less centralized & smaller than Mauryan §Theater State – Cultural dominance

Empire under Chandragupta II

Xuanzang: Life in Gupta India § Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Roads and visited India in the 5 th century. § He was following the path of the Buddha. § He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability, " the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

Extensive Trade sp ic es s silk ods o g n cotto spices n cotto

Gupta Art Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

1000 diseases classified 500 healing plants identified Gupta Achievements Printed medical guides Plastic Surgery Medicine Vaccinations Gupta India C-sections performed Decimal System Mathematics Concept of Zero PI = 3. 1416 Solar Calendar Astronomy The earth is round

The Decline of the Guptas § Invasion by White Huns in the 500 s = end of the Gupta Golden Age §Decline of Gupta empire – §North India broke into many separate Hindu kingdoms ruled by rajputs (Hindu princes) §Indian History is marked by a big debate: Unity vs. Disunity