1. Maurya
&
Gupta
India

2. The Maurya Empire
321 BCE – 185 BCE

4. Chandragupta Maurya: 321 BCE-298 BCE
He unified northern India. Indus to Ganges
First unified centralized government in India
Defeated the Macedonian/Persian general of Alexander, Seleucus.
Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement.
He feared assassination Used spies, food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.
301 BCE  gave up his throne & became a Jainist Monk. Some say he starved himself to death.

5. Kautilya/Chanakya
Chandragupta’s advisor.”The Machiavelli of India” He Set up a bureaucratic administrative system that made policies for empire.
Wrote The Treatise on Material Gain or the “Arthashastra”
A guide for the king and his ministers:
Supported royal power. 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants.
The great evil in society is anarchy.
Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when necessary!

6. Kautilya advising Chandragupta

7. Ashoka the Great Ashoka, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya,
began his reign as a
cruel tyrant, torturing
and killing his enemies,
but….
Remember James Princep translated the writing

8. Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE)
He had a Religious conversion after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in BCE. 100,000 died
Dedicated his life to Buddhism. Non-violence
Conflict  How to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?

9. Ashoka’s Empire

10. Ashoka’s Government
Famous Rock and Pillar Edicts – imperial laws based on Buddhist values
Utilized tightly organized bureaucracy
Established capital city at Pataliputra
Stable government led to growing economy and expansion of agriculture
Built system of roads that connected major cities
Set up a central treasury to oversee collection of taxes – used to support officials soldiers, others

11. Ashoka’s law code
Edicts scattered in more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan.
Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic.
10 rock edicts, Each pillar [stupa] is 40’-50’ high.
Buddhist principles dominated laws. (Conversion/spread of Buddhism,Moral codes,Conservation, Protection of animals)

12. Ashoka’s Edicts

13. Turmoil & a power Vacuum: 220 BCE – 320 CE
Tamils
The Maurya Empire was divided into many kingdoms.

14. Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

15. Gupta Rulers Chandra Gupta I Hindu revival. Buddhism suppressed
r. 320 – 335 CE
“Great King of Kings”
Hindu revival. Buddhism suppressed
Chandra Gupta II
r CE
Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world.
Huns invaded–450 CE

16. Fa-Hsien (Faxian): Life in Gupta India
Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled along the Silk Road and visited India in the 5th 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.

17. Journey of Fa Hsien/Faxian

18. Chandra Gupta II

19. International Trade Routes during the Guptas

20. Extensive Trade: Land Route = Silk Road Water Route = Indian Ocean
spices
silks
cotton goods
rice & wheat
spices
horses
gold & ivory
gold & ivory
Pearls
cotton goods

21. Kalidasa The greatest of Indian poets.
His most famous play was Shakuntala. (handout)
During the reign of Chandra Gupta II.

22. Mahabarata and Ramayana
These two epics of India reached their “final” form during the Gupta dynasty.
The Guptas sponsored great writers and poets to connect the stories into clear and complete versions.
Arjuna’s
Chariot
Ravana kidnaps
Sita

23. Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.
Gupta Art
Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

24. 500 healing plants identified Printed medicinal guides
Gupta Achievements
1000 diseases classified
500 healing plants identified
Printed medicinal guides
Ramayana
Mahabharata
Kalidasa
Literature
Plastic Surgery
Medicine
Inoculations
Gupta India
C-sections performed
Solar Calendar
Astronomy
Mathematics
Decimal System
The earth is round
PI =
Concept of Zero

25. The Decline of the Guptas
Invasion of the Huns in the 4th century signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Guptas defeated them.
After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 17th century.

26. Bhartrhari on knowledge
5th century India court poet and philosopher.
Knowledge is man's crowning mark, A treasure secretly buried, The source of luxury, fame, and bliss, A guru most venerable, A friend on foreign journeys, The pinnacle of divinity. Knowledge is valued by kings beyond wealth--- When he lacks it, a man is a brute.