Cross-Cultural Exchanges Chapter 12

Long-Distance Trade and the Silk Roads Network LD trade was risky: bandits, pirates -> high costs 2 developments: roads/bridges and empires Hellenistic empires: more trade due to colonies – monsoon winds = access to Indian Ocean Basin – Maritime trade required military forces, construction, bureaucracy

Hellenistic Trade Costs paid off by stimulating economy and tax revenue Caravans and ships carried goods from China to Mediterranean, linking empires, as well as smaller societies – Overland routes = Silk Roads Traded manufactured goods, agricultural commodities, slaves – Silk, spices, cotton, horses, glassware, art, jewelry, olive oil, wine

The Organization of LD Trade Few travelled far distances (e.g., Roman trading posts in India) Travelled to cities with markets, bought/sold, returned home, etc.

Cultural and Biological Exchanges Merchants, missionaries, and travelers carried beliefs, values, and religions with them Buddhism: spread by merchants into C Asia (esp. in oasis towns, where monasteries were built), by nomads into E Asia (Chinese began to convert by 5 th century CE), and by mariners into SE Asia Hinduism: along with other Indian elements, spread into SE Asia by mariners and was used by leaders to build power

Cultural & Biological Exchanges (cont.) Christianity: – 1 st century CE: persecution by Romans, but spread along roads and sea lanes – 2 nd -3 rd centuries: became popular, Christian communities throughout the Empire Spread into SW Asia to India – not dominant, but influenced Med. With practices of asceticism and abstinence – By 5 th century: Med and SW Asian Christianity diverged (Nestorians)

Cultural & Biological Exchanges (cont.) Manichaeism: – Mani = Zoroastrian prophet from Babylon – Combined Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Christianity – Good vs. evil, rejection of worldly pleasures, personal salvation – “the elect” and “the hearers” – strict moral code – Appealed to merchants, spread in Sasanid and Roman Empires, but faced persecution in both

Cultural & Biological Exchanges (cont.) Infectious diseases also spread along trade routes (e.g., small pox, measles, bubonic plague) Infected populations with no inherent or acquired immunity – Especially bad in Rome and Han China -> population decrease -> decrease in trade, contracting of economies, move toward regional self-sufficiency

Fall of Han Dynasty Internal decay: factions, land distribution issues (-> peasant rebellions) Generals (-> warlords) fought for power, set up puppet emperor 220 CE: abolished dynasty – split into 3 large kingdoms

Post-Han Culture Change Disorder: warring kingdoms, nomadic invasions, destruction of Han heartland and capitals 2 major changes: – Nomads adopted many elements of Chinese culture – Confucianism lost credibility: many turned to Daoism (became religion) or Buddhism (brought in by nomads)

The Fall of Rome Combination of internal and external issues Internal: factions/opposition to the emperor, unmanageable size – Diocletian divided empire in 2 (with co-emperors and other leaders), took control of armies, economic reforms (spent less, strengthened currency, decreased inflation -> stabilized econ.) – But, once he retired -> civil war

Constantine 340 CE: moved capital from Rome to Constantinople and reunified E and W But, with econ. problems, it was difficult to govern and W part fell to invaders

Germanic Invaders Settled along borders of the Roman Empire (buffer societies) – Mid-5 th century: Attila the Hun (Turkic) invades and attacks Germanic groups – Forced Germanic groups to migrate into Roman Empire to seek refuge – est’d settlements – 410 CE: Visigoths sacked Rome – 476 CE: imperial authority ended in west (but, continued in east as the Byzantine Empire) Germanic groups built kingdoms (incorporated Roman elements) -> Medieval Europe

Christianity and Rome 312 CE: Constantine’s conversion -> Edict of Milan 380 CE: Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of Rome Converts increased, esp. among elites St. Augustine of Hippo tried to reconcile Christianity with Greco-Roman philosophy -> intellectualized

Institutional Church Standardized: hierarchy of officials (5 top bishops/patriarchs – eventually, pope in Rome emerges as leader of W. Christianity), bishops over dioceses 325 CE: Council of Nicaea (ironed out beliefs) Missionary campaigns