Maurya

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Mauryan Empire and Gupta Empire in India.
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Early 500sBC . . . .

• India was not a unified country
• 16 kingdoms existed in northern India.

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540BC-Kingdom of Magadha

• In about 520BC, King Bimbisara made Magadha the
  most powerful kingdom of Northern India.
• Magadha extended influence across much of
  Northern India

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• King Bimbisara of Magadha lived at about the same
  time as the Buddha. He heard the Buddha himself
  preach and converted to Buddhism

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Meanwhile, in the Indus Valley

• Between 520BC-510BC, King Darius of Persia
  conquered the Indus Valley, and for a time the
  Indus Valley was part of the Persian Empire.
• Soon the kingdom of Magadha took the Indus Valley
  from the Persians, and ruled it for a while.
• In 326BC, the Indus Valley was conquered by
  Alexander the Great. It was a part of his empire
  until it was re-conquered by Chandragupta Maurya
  in 304BC.

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Chandragupta Maurya The Mauryan
Empire(320BC-184BC)

• 320BC-Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the king of
  Magadha and started the Mauryan Empire
• We know a lot about Chandraguptas rule, because
  a Greek diplomat at his court kept a detailed
  record of his experiences.

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• Built a grand palace in his capital, Pataliputra,
  on the Ganges River
• Raised an army of 600,000 soldiers and many
  chariots war elephants
• Conquered unified all of northern India and
  much of Pakistan

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Conquests of Chandragupta Maurya
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Chandragupta Mauryas war elephants
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Kautilya

• Chandragupta was advised by a man named Kautilya
• Kautilya wrote The Treatise on Material Gain
• This guide for the king said that a king should
  assert strict authority that the greatest evil
  in society is anarchy, and therefore a single
  authority is needed to keep order.

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Chandragupta Maurya

• He was a very strict ruler!
• He took over much of the land and made the
  peasants work for him. He set up state controlled
  industries, including mining, spinning and
  weaving.
• He unified by country by setting up standardized
  weights and measures throughout the country, and
  even established standards for physicians.
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Chandragupta Maurya

• Chandragupta Maurya became very afraid of being
  assassinated.
• He slept in a different room of his palace every
  night, and was surrounded by trained female
  warriors who served as body guards (women were
  thought to be less likely to seek power for
  themselves.)

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Chandragupta Maurya

• Finally, in about 300BC, as he neared death, he
  converted to Jainism, gave power to his son,
  Bindusara, and starved himself to death, which
  was regarded as a holy death.

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Asoka(ruled 270BC-232BC)

• After Chandragupta Maurya ruled, his son
  Bindusara ruled.
• Then Asoka, the grandson of Chandragupta, became
  the most famous ruler of the Mauryan Empire. He
  took the throne about 270BC.
• Asoka fought bloody wars to increase the size of
  his empire.
• He enlarged the Mauryam Empire until it included
  all of India Pakistan except the southern tip.
  The Mauryans became the first to hold nearly all
  of India.

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Mauryan Empire at its largest extent
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ASOKA

• After the bloody battle of Kalinga in 262 BC, in
  which over 100,000 people died, Asoka became
  sickened by war. He became a man of peace.
• He became a Buddhist. He became a vegetarian and
  vowed to spend the rest of his life making life
  better for his people.

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ASOKA

• Asoka set up hospitals to provide medical care
  for both humans and animals.
• Asoka built roads, and along the main roads he
  built shelters and wells, and planted mango trees
  for fruit and banyan trees for shade.
• Asoke forbade animal sacrifices and hunting for
  sport.
• Asoka promoted Buddhism and sent out Buddhist
  missionaries, but respected all religions.

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WomenUnder anAsokatree
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Edicts of Asoka

• Asoka had large stone monuments set up all over
  India, with his policies and good advice carved
  on them.
• His policies are called the Edicts of Asoka, and
  the stone monuments are called the Pillars of
  Asoka.

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Edict of Asoka

• Beloved-of-the-Gods conquered Kalinga eight
  years after his coronation. One hundred and fifty
  thousand were deported, one hundred thousand were
  killed and many more died (from other causes).
  After Kalinga had been conquered,
  Beloved-of-the-Gods came to feel a strong
  inclination towards the Dhamma (right conduct as
  taught by the Buddha) Now Beloved-of-the-Gods
  feels deep remorse for having conquered the
  Kalinga.
• Indeed, Beloved-of-the-Gods is deeply pained by
  the killing, dying and deportation that take
  place when an unconquered country is conquered.

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Edict of Asoka

• Beloved-of-the-Gods speaks thus Father and
  mother should be respected and so should elders,
  kindness to living beings should be made strong
  and the truth should be spoken.

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Edict of Asoka

• All men are my children. What I desire for my
  own children, and I desire their welfare and
  happiness both in this world and the next, that I
  desire for all men. You do not understand to what
  extent I desire this, and if some of you do
  understand, you do not understand the full extent
  of my desire.

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Edict of Asoka

• Beloved-of-the-Gods says Along roads I have had
  banyan trees planted so that they can give shade
  to animals and men, and I have had mango groves
  planted. At intervals along the roads, I have
  had wells dug, rest-houses built, and in various
  places, I have had watering-places made for the
  use of animals and men. But these are but minor
  achievements. Such things to make the people
  happy have been done by former kings. I have done
  these things for this purpose, that the people
  might practice the Dhamma.

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After Asoka

• After Asoka died in 232BC, the Mauryan Empire
  declined.
• Asokas sons battled one another for control of
  the throne, and invaders attacked from the north
  east.
• In 184BC, the last Mauryan emperor was killed by
  one of his generals.

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Between the Mauryan Empire and the Gupta Empire

• Between the end of the Mauryan Empire in 184BC,
  and the beginning of the Gupta Empire in 320AD,
  India was again divided into many small kingdoms.

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GUPTA EMPIRE 320AD-550AD

• In 320AD, Chandra Gupta I came to power in the
  region of Magadha.
• He began expanding his power through conquest and
  marriage.
• His successors continued the expansions, until it
  included all of northern India Pakistan (Indus
  Valley) , but it never included as much area as
  the old Mauryan Empire.

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• Chandra Gupta Is successors continued the
  expansions, until it included all of northern
  India Pakistan (Indus Valley) , but it never
  included as much area as the Mauryan Empire

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• Chandra Gupta I
• Founder of the Gupta Empire
• Chandra Gupta I favored Hinduism,and Hinduism
  again became more popular than Buddhism. This
  became known as the Hindu revival.
• Chandra Gupta II During the reign of Chandra
  Gupta II, prosperity continued

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Gupta Empire

• During the period of the Gupta Empire, India was
  prosperous, but the Gupta Empire never covered as
  much area as the Mauryan Empire had,
• Gupta Empire and was never as centralized as the
  Mauryan Empire. It gave more power to local
  leaders
• Came to an end in 550 AD

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Life in Gupta India

• Fa Xian, a Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along
  the Silk Road and visited India in about 500AD
• He was following the path of the Buddha.
• He described life in India during the Gupta
  Empire. His journal said
• Most people were happy and free of government
  oppression
• Laws were lenient, with no capital punishment
  (death penalty).
• However, the caste system was developing, and
  untouchables had to had to use noise-makers to
  warn others of their approach.

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From the journal of Fa Xian, describing Gupta
Empire

• The people are numerous and happy they have not
  to register their households, or attend to any
  magistrates and their rules only those who
  cultivate the royal land have to pay (a portion
  of) the gain from it. If they want to go, they
  go if they want to stay on, they stay.

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From the journal of Fa Xian, describing Gupta
Empire

• The king governs with out decapitation or (other)
  corporal punishments. Criminals are simply fined,
  lightly or heavily, according to the
  circumstances (of each case). Even in the cases
  of repeated attempts at wicked rebellion, they
  only have their right hands cut off. . . .
  Throughout the whole country the people do not
  kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating
  liquor, nor eat onions or garlic.

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From the journal of Fa Xian, describing the Gupta
Empire

• The only exception is that of the Chandalas
  (Pariahs/Untouchables) That is the name for
  those who are (held to be) wicked men, and live
  apart from others. When they enter the gate of a
  city or a market-place, they strike a piece of
  wood to make themselves known, so that men know
  and avoid them, and do not come into contact with
  them.

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Chandra Gupta II II 11
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Life and culture in India during from the Maurya
through the Gupta dynasties.
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Economy trade

• Most people lived by farming the land
• Trade expanded greatly during the Gupta dynasty
• Along the coasts of Southern India, there were
  ports, and merchants engaged in trade by sea.
• In Northern India, in the Gupta Empire, merchants
  traded along overland trade routes, including the
  famous silk road.
• India exported spices, cotton, wheat rice, and
  gold ivory and precious gems
• India imported silk and horses.

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4c
spices
silks
cotton goods
spices
rice wheat
horses
gold ivory
gold ivory
cotton goods
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International Trade Routes during the Gupta Empire
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LAWS OF MANU

• The laws of Manu were written between
  200BC-200AD, and set forth the rules for society,
  including rules of the caste system and rules
  about the role of women.

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SECTION 5-Life in India
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Laws of Manu-Varnas

• 87. But in order to protect this universe He, the
  most resplendent one, assigned separate (duties
  and) occupations to those who sprang from his
  mouth, arms, thighs, and feet.
• 88. To Brahmins he assigned teaching and studying
  (the Vedas), sacrificing for their own benefit
  and for others, giving and accepting (of alms).
• 89. The Kshatriya he commanded to protect the
  people, to bestow gifts, to offer sacrifices, to
  study (the Veda), and to abstain from attaching
  himself to sensual pleasures
• 90. The Vaisya to tend cattle, to bestow gifts,
  to offer sacrifices, to study (the Veda), to
  trade, to lend money, and to cultivate land.
• 91. One occupation only the lord prescribed to
  the Sudra, to serve meekly even these (other)
  three castes.

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Laws of Manu-Women

• 147. By a girl, by a young woman, or even by an
  aged one, nothing must be done independently,
  even in her own house.
• 148. In childhood a female must be subject to her
  father, in youth to her husband, when her lord is
  dead to her sons a woman must never be
  independent.
• 149. She must not seek to separate herself from
  her father, husband, or sons by leaving them she
  would make both (her own and her husband's)
  families contemptible.
• 150. She must always be cheerful, clever in (the
  management of her) household affairs, careful in
  cleaning her utensils, and economical in
  expenditure.
• 151. Him to whom her father may give her, or her
  brother with the father's permission, she shall
  obey as long as he lives, and when he is dead,
  she must not insult (his memory).

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Status of women

• A woman was never independent. She was under the
  protection control of a man. Women were
  expected to obey fathers, husbands, and (after
  the death of the husband), their sons.
• Women could not own property, and were not
  allowed to study sacred writings.
• Marriages were arranged.
• Polygyny, the practice of having more than one
  wife, was practiced by the wealthy.

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Status of Women-Suttee

• It was a great virtue for a woman to be devoted
  to her husband.
• During the Gupta Empire, the practice of suttee
  (sati) began.
• Suttee-when a man died, his wife threw herself on
  his funeral pyre (fire) and burned herself to
  death.
• Suttee was more common among the higher castes.
  In theory it was voluntary, but sometimes women
  were forced.

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Suttee
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Suttee
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Cultural Achievements- literature

• In addition to the great religious writings,
  stories such as the Panchatantra became very
  popular. The Panchatantra had stories with a
  moral, teaching traits such as adaptability,
  shrewdness, determination.

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• Plays became popular during the Gupta period.
  They had tragic scenes, but always ended happily.
  They were usually performed in the open air.

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Kalidasa

• Kalidasa was the most famous poet and writer of
  plays.
• His most famous play was Shakuntala.

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ART-Buddhist cave paintings

• The most famous paintings of the period are the
  Buddhist cave painting in the caves at Ajanta.
• They show scenes from the life of the Buddha and
  his followers
• Indian sculptors made images of Buddha and the
  Hindu Gods.

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Architecture-

• Buddhist shrines were called stupas. They were
  typically dome-shaped. Objects associated with
  the Buddha were inside.
• Many Hindu temples were built during the Hindu
  revival of the Gupta Empire. They had a square
  base and heavy walls. Inside was a statue of a
  God. They usually had tall, ornate towers on top,
  shaped like beehives or pinecones, often covered
  with sculpture.

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Education-Nalanda

• The most famous university of the period was
  Nalanda, a Buddhist university, which became the
  center of higher learning in India during the
  time of the Gupta Empire.
• Thousands of students attended. It was free.
• Students studied the Vedas and other Hindu and
  Buddhist literature, along with mathematics and
  medicine.

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Education

• Education was very advanced for boys of the
  higher varnas. They studied the Vedas and other
  great literature, including the Mahabharata,
  Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana, as well as the
  Upanishads.
• They also learned astronomy, math and government.

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GuptaArt
Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art
architecture.
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Mathematics

• Indian mathematicians of this period invented the
  number system we use today. We call our numerals
  the Indo-Arabic numerals. This system uses
  numerals 0-9, along with place value, to express
  any number.
• . . . Thousands, hundreds, tens, ones
• They were the first to develop the concept of 0,
  and to use a symbol for 0.
• They developed the concept of negative numbers
  and the concept of infinity.

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• The famous mathematician-astronomer Aryabhata was
  one of the first to use algebra and to solve
  quadratic equations.
• He also described the earth as rotating on its
  axis. Before that, most people believed that the
  sky turned.

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Astronomy

• Indian astronomers understood that the earth was
  a sphere, and that the earth rotated on its axis
  (although theylike most others thought the
  earth was in the center and the sun revolved
  around it.)
• Indian astronomers identified the 6 planets
  visible to the naked eye.

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Medicine

• Indian medicine was very advanced.
• Indians developed the practice of inoculation for
  smallpox. This was done by giving a person
  (usually a child) a mild form of the disease, so
  he would not get the disease later,

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Gupta Achievements
1000 diseasesclassified
500 healingplants identified
Printedmedicinal guides
Kalidasa
Literature
Medicine
PlasticSurgery
GuptaIndia
Inoculations
C-sectionsperformed
SolarCalendar
Astronomy
Mathematics
DecimalSystem
The earthis round
PI 3.1416
Conceptof Zero
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The Decline of the Gupta Empire

• Invasion of the White Huns in the 400sAD
  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.