Chapter Five: Decline of Classical Civilizations

Common Themes in Classical Civilizations Territorial expansion Efforts to integrate new territories (Rome, India, Han) A) Create territorial and social cohesion Unification A) China (centralization; Confucianism) B) India (religious values) C) Greece (cultural achievements) D) Rome (citizenship) Decline

Classical Trade Indian Ocean Trade Silk Road Trade A) East Africa to Southern China B) Items traded: Chinese pottery, Indian spices, and Indian/African ivory C) Depended on monsoons and currents Silk Road Trade A) Han China to Mediterranean B) Exchange of Western/Eastern goods, religions, technology, disease Trans-Saharan Trade (pre-Islamic) A) Across the Sahara: camels B) Items traded: salt, palm oil, olives, wheat, wild animals

Classical India Expansion Mauryans expand to almost all of Indian subcontinent Guptas used localized governments in new territories Integration Used Hinduism to expand (Buddhism unappealing) Used the caste system to create social distinctions Decline Invasions by White Huns Decentralization grows weak; independent kingdoms created After 600, Islam enters India

Classical China Expansion A) West and south, rice-growing regions Integration One language (written and spoken) Strong centralized government (Qin and Han) Decline 100 CE – 220 CE Heavy taxes; poor harvests; weak emperors Nomadic invasions by Huns (Xiongnu) and other nomadic tribes 184 CE: Yellow Turban Rebellion Three Kingdoms Era (disorder and political decentralization), then Sui dynasty by 589 CE

Classical greece Expansion A) Expansion is cultural, rather than territorial Integration Use of common language Persian War helped to integrate city-states, unite against common enemy Decline Ultimately default to city-state identity, geographic unity is challenging Peloponnesian War weakens Athens Macedonian invasion weakens all city-states Greek culture (Hellenism) continues

Classical rome Expansion Massive expansion under Roman Republic Integration A) Cultural tolerance, common law, and citizenship (males) for conquered peoples B) Allow regional diversity Decline Golden Age ends 180 CE Decline is complex (economy, plague, leadership, latifundia, invasions) Split of East and West (4th century)

Religion during the Classical Decline All major religions see an increase in participants Why? Chaos of classical decline causes people to gravitate towards a religion that focuses upon afterlife, leaving chaos of current world behind, and salvation Buddhism Rejected by Gupta India Rapid expansion into Southeast and East Asia Christianity Rapid emergence and expansion into Mediterranean and Europe 313 CE: Constantine issues Edict of Milan to permit Christianity in Rome Islam 610 CE: Created by Muhammad Religion spreads rapidly through conversions Empire spreads through conquering Hinduism Supported by Gupta India Supported by caste system

Other Classical Civilizations Kush (1070 BCE – 350 CE) 750 BCE, Kushites conquered Egypt Adopted Egyptian culture Japan Agricultural; excellent iron-work Shintoism developed: “way of the gods,” animistic religion (spirits are imbedded within nature) Polynesia 1000 BCE: Migration to islands (Fiji, Samoa) Continue to move to Hawaii by 400 CE using giant canoes Isolated development Highly stratified class system under powerful kings Agricultural

Mesoamerican Civilizations Olmecs (1500 BCE – 400 BCE) First major civilization in Mexico; “mother civilization” 800 BCE: Settled in Central Mexican river valley Agriculture (corn, potatoes) Domesticated animals Religious statues (Olmec heads) Disappeared in 400 BCE Maya (2000 BCE – 900 CE) On Mexican peninsula by 400 CE Most advanced culture in region Pyramid shaped temples Only writing system of Meso-America Religion was very complex