1. CLASSICAL ERA EMPIRES
S.P.I.C.E. Charts

2. Han Chinese SOCIAL: Relatively small amounts of slavery (1%...)
Bureaucrats at top of social pyramid…followed by landlord class, peasants, then merchants
Confucianism’s five relationships organized power
Extremely patriarchal society…women deferred to all
Some social mobility through education/bureaucratic training
Philosophy of filial piety guided family views
Legalism valued farmers/warriors most
Peasant rebellions brought down Han dynasty

3. POLITICAL Empire controlled from Korea to Vietnam
Emperors/dynasties ruled through “Mandate of Heaven”
Emperor = Son of God
Emperor  Subjects top of Confucian power dynamic
Imperial decline due to:
Invasions of nomadic Huns and Xiongu peoples
Rivalries and government infighting
Peasant rebellions
Highly centralized government
Uniform tax policy
Single law code
Enormous government bureaucracy
Bureaucrats trained in Imperial Academy’s (up to 30,000 at one time)
Civil Service examinations
Mostly sons of landed upper-class
Confucianism guided view of rulers (benevolent, moral)
First Emperor after Period of Warring States = Qin Shihuangdi
Chinese empire born during this time period, lasted til almost present day

4. INTERACTIONS China more isolated than other empires at this time
Direct contact with India, indirect trade with Roman empire
Relied on Yellow River for irrigation of crops

5. CULTURAL Confucianism Daoism Legalism
Defined Han government rule
Morals, ethics, modesty, deference, etc.
Strong emphasis on education and self-improvement
Daoism
Seen as complement of Confucian values
Natural, self-reliance, community driven
Legalism
Strong laws needed to control man’s evil
Beginnings of secular Chinese society at this time
Encouraged adoption of language, culture, etc. of all conquered peoples
Chinese language unified under Qin (Mandarin Chinese)
Flourishing literature and art during Classical era
Buddhism spread into China after Han collapse
Invented the stirrup
Revolutionized long distance travel

6. ECONOMIC Qin standardized coinage, weights & measures
Silk manufacturing very important
Economy based on agriculture
Trade with India and Roman empires
Merchants not socially/politically powerful, even if economically rich

7. Mauryan/Gupta India SOCIAL
Caste system main organizer of Hindu society
Brahmins (Priests)  Nobles/Warriors  Merchants  Peasants  “Untouchables”
Differing theories on origin: Racial “Varna” vs. Job Specialization “Jati”
No social mobility
Extremely patriarchal society – women must always be under supervision of man
Buddhism less patriarchal, but NOT equal
Slaves were present, and received some protection through religious beliefs

8. POLITICAL Mauryan kingdom divided amongst governors
Emerged from remnants of Alexander the Greats, Hellenistic empire
Chandragupta Maurya united area ruled in 324b.c.e.
Relied on large army to control
System of government spies to maintain rule
Emperor Ashoka was famous military ruler and later convert to Buddhism in response to the death he created
Diversity of population and caste system loyalties made centralized government difficult
Relatively short-lived empires
Collapse partly due to invasion of nomadic Huns from Central Asia

9. Interaction (Between Humans and Environment)
Huge dependence on yearly monsoon rains to support agriculture
Reliance on fertile Indus and Ganges river valleys
Empire situated at an important crossroads in trade from China to the Mediterranean
Interaction with aggressive nomadic peoples led to decline

10. CULTURAL
The “Vedas” are a collection of sacred Hindu writings that bonded together immense religious diversity
Hindu beliefs of “Samsara,” (reincarnation) and “Karma,” (sum of good/bad deeds) worked to reinforce caste system creation
Written sanskrit language bonded diversity together
Buddhism developed through teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, and provided an alternative to Hinduism
No caste system, no devotion to Gods, shared beliefs in reincarnation and karma
Highly advanced work in astronomy and mathematics
Emperor Ashoka built giant rock “Edicts” that helped spread Buddhism across vast territory

11. ECONOMIC
Mauryans established single currency, and standardized weights/measures
Economy centered on agriculture
Location on popular East  West trade routes led to accumulation of riches
High taxes helped contribute to collapse of society
Largely exported silk, spices, and luxury goods

12. ROMAN EMPIRE
SOCIAL
Large divide between “patricians” (rich) & “plebeians” (poor)
Between 30-40% of Roman society made up of slaves
Slave emancipation common
Even middle class citizens owned 2-3 slaves (1000’s for rich)
Not based on ethnicity/race
Mostly war prisoners

13. POLITICAL Began as a “republic” ruled by “patricians”
Republic headed by two “consuls” (like President & Prime Minister)
Written law code protected all citizens’ rights
Public assemblies created to give voice to poor
Office of “Tribune” created to represent plebeian interests
Empire arose out of:
Punic Wars with Carthage
Rise of powerful class of generals
Caesar Augustus (Octavian) = first emperor
Very strong navy and professionally trained army
Roman citizenship = right to hold office, legal protection
Goal was to control the world
Successful expansion due to tolerant treatment of conquered peoples
Governors appointed to control territory
Decline due to:
Invading Germanic peoples in the north
Lack of tax revenue to support enormous territorial holdings
Political rivalries/corruption
Eastern portion of Roman empire turned into Byzantine after collapse of west in 476 CE
Decline of Romans was never replaced in Western Europe with another imperial system

14. INTERACTIONS
At its height it controlled territory into Northern Europe (inc. Britain), North Africa, the Mediterranean, and former Persian empire
Germanic peoples on frontiers frequently caused friction, eventually collapse

15. CULTURAL
Exported Greek culture (rationalism, architecture, philosophy, etc) to areas it controlled
Turned dead emperors into Gods
Originally polytheistic
Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in 4th century C.E. made Christianity a dominant religion
Emperor Theodosius’s declaration of official imperial religion sealed this
Used Christianity as a way to bond empire together
Huge emphasis on elaborate architecture and grand public works
Latin language became basis for later European languages (Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese…)

16. ECONOMIC
“Pax Romana” (Roman Peace) translated into perfect conditions for trade and business
Upper class avoidance of taxes led to decline in imperial revenue and forcing of poor to carry burden
Large discrepancy between few very rich, and majority very poor