1. Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads
Chapter 12
Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads
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2. Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World
Lack of police enforcement outside of established settlements
Changed in classical period
Improvement of infrastructure
Development of empires
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3. 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
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4. 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
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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
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The Silk Roads (cont.)
Trade goods
Silk and spices traveled west from China
Central Asia produced large horses and jade, sold in China
Roman empire provided glassware, jewelry, artworks, perfumes, textiles
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The Silk Roads, 200 B.C.E.-300 C.E.
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8. Organization of Long-Distance Trade
Divided into small segments
Trade done in stages
Sea trade
Malay and Indian mariners
Persian, Egyptian, Greek
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9. 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 B.C.E C.E.
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The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, 200 B.C.E.-400 C.E.
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Buddhism in China
Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations
400s CE: Gradual spread to larger population
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12. Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia
Sea lanes in Indian Ocean
First century C.E., clear Indian influence in southeast Asia
Rulers called “rajas”
Sanskrit used for written communication
Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths
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13. Christianity in Mediterranean Basin
Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia, 200s C.E.
Christianity spreads through middle east, north Africa, Europe
Sizeable communities as far east as India
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14. Christianity in Southwest Asia
Influence of ascetic practices from India
Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies
After 400s C.E., followed Nestorius
Emphasized human nature of Jesus
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Spread of Manichaeism
Mani a devout Zoroastrian ( C.E.)
Viewed himself a prophet for all humanity
Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism
Dualist
Good vs. evil
Light vs. dark
Spirit vs. matter
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Manichaean Society
Devout: “the elect”
Ascetic lifestyle
Celibacy, vegetarianism
Life of prayer and fasting
Laity: “hearers”
Material supporters of “the elect”
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17. Decline of Manichaeism
Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman empire
Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sasanid persecution
Mani arrested, dies in captivity
Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecute
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18. 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 self-sufficiency
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19. Epidemics in the Han and Roman Empires
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20. Internal Decay of the Han State
Court intrigue
Problem of land distribution
Large landholders develop private armies
Epidemics
Peasant rebellions
184 C.E., Yellow Turban uprising
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21. Collapse of the Han Dynasty
Generals assume authority, reduce emperor to puppet figure
Alliance with landowners
200 C.E., Han dynasty abolished, replaced by three kingdoms
Immigration of northern nomads increases
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22. Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
Social and cultural changes to a Chinese way of life
Adapted to the Chinese environment
Agriculture
Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage
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23. Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism
Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines
Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity
Religions of salvation
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24. Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors
The “barracks emperors”
C.E., twenty-six 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
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Diocletian (r C.E.)
Divided empire into two administrative districts
Co-emperors, dual lieutenants
“Tetrarchs”
Currency, budget reform
Relative stability disappears after Diocletian's death, civil war follows
Constantine emerges victorious
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26. 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 fifth century C.E.
Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman empire
Sacked Rome in 410 C.E., established Germanic emperor in 476 C.E.
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Germanic Invasions and the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, C.E.
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28. Cultural Change in the Roman Empire
Growth of Christianity
Constantine’s vision, 312 C.E.
Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian practice
Converts to Christianity
380 C.E., Emperor Theodosius proclaims Christianity official religion of Roman empire
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St. Augustine ( C.E.)
Hippo, north Africa
Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism
387 C.E., converts to Christianity
Major theologian
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30. The Institutional Church
Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early Church
Divinity of Jesus
Role of women
Church hierarchy established
Patriarchs, bishop of Rome
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