Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Geography
• The area includes India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
• The area is called a subcontinent because of the natural borders.
• To the West-Arabian Sea
• To the East-Bay of Bengal
• To the North-Himalayan Mountains
• There are lower mountains on either side of the Himalayas.
• There are several passes namely the Khyber Pass in the northwest.
• Most all major immigrations have come from the northwest.
• The entire subcontinent has never been unified into a single empire.
Early Settlements
• There was a wave of immigration, nomadic and pastoral Aryans. The Aryans mixed with indigenous
people.
• Reached the Ganges around 1000 B.C.E.
• Around 700-600 B.C.E. political groupings called janapadas (populated territories).
• Leadership was based on family lineage.
• As the janapadas grew, they began to take shape as a political form of a state with urban capitals
and public administration.
• By 500-400 BCE there were 16 large janapadas in northern India.
• In 326 BCE Alexander reached India and there were 4 large states dominating the rest and one,
Magadha was the imperial power.
• The Magadha only last till 324 BCE, they were followed by the Maurya. They stayed in power till
185 BCE. Alexander wanted the whole subcontinent but could not.
• Asoka was the greatest Maaurya leader. Ruled from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal and well into
the Deccan peninsula. At the time India‟s population was believed to be 100 million.
• Asoka ruled over most of India but not all. He also converted to Buddhism and spread the faith
throughout India.
• Asoka died in 238 BCE and the empire was in decline. The Mauryan ended in 184 BCE. The Gupta
• Once the Gupta left, India was subject to outside rule till the independence of India and Pakistan in
1947 and Bangladesh in 1971.
How Do We Know?
• Philology is the study of language and literature. This helps trace the dispersion of Indo-Aryans
peoples.
• There is written record of the Aryan invasions. The Puranas were written between 500 BCE to 500
CE.
• The earliest source is the Rigveda. They were written about 1500-1200 BCE.
• The Vedas are more religious texts than actual historical documents.
• There are two epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana recount events between 1000-700 BCE. Both
provide information on social structures, ways of life and the values of the times.
• Other records do exist. Codes of law and statecraft from Chandragupta Maurya‟s minister around
300 BCE.
• Asoka‟s own rock inscriptions explain politics and imperial ideology.
• There are other writings from Greeks, Buddhists and Chinese.
Mauryan Empire
• Created an imperial government that displaced earlier structures based on family lineage.
• This empire based it‟s theories of politics on the writings of Kautilya, who wrote the Artha-sastra.
• Rather cut-throat view. All states must be on constant look out for other states.
• Strong states create treaties to keep the peace, weak states should be conquered.
• Enemy of my enemy is my friend. (The circle theory)
• State enforced rules of behavior between males and females. Men looked over women, women
were in charge of the house.
• Women had limited property rights and some times in the empire they had none.
• State regulated the caste system. Created unfair laws. The system started with the Hindus. (Will
discuss more in next chapter)
• State regulated religion. Religion had wealth and power and state wanted some.
• State also regulated the guilds. Guilds are associations of businessmen and producers.
• Guilds set work rules, prices, weights and measures.
• Chandragupta and his son Bindusara built a highly centralized administration, powerful military.
• Asoka followed the same policies. His conquest of Kalinga soured him. He converted to Buddhism.
The was religion of non-violence. For the next 30 years Asoka created a relative peace in India.
• Moved India from nomadic to a stable agriculture and urban life.
• The importance of the Brahmins was diminished under Asoka. This was good for the lower castes,
that gained.
• The Mauryan‟s could not produce another emperor of high quality such as Asoka. The empire was
not formally institutionalized and India dissolved.
Between Empires
• After the Mauryan‟s their core region was ruled by the Sunga Dynasty (185-73 BCE).
• The Indo-Greeks, left over from days of Alexander moved into the northwest and invaded in 182
BCE. A hybrid culture of Indian and Greek developed.
• The Shakas invaded and ruled parts western India from 94 BCE to 20 CE.
• Another group the Kushanas. They ruled parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and parts of
India. They promoted Buddhism.
• Trade flourished, the extent of the dynasty is unknown.
The Gupta Empire
• In 320 CE, all dates are now CE for the rest of the chapter, a new dynasty appreared. Chandra
Gupta I (r. 320-330) married into the powerful Licchavi lineage. Their son, Samudra Gupta (r. 330
380) was one of India‟s greatest military conquerors.
• Samdura left records on Asoka‟s pillars.
• The Gupta‟s added to the empire by creating alliances through marriage. The fourth emperor was
Kumara Gupta (r. 415-455) presided over a great empire at peace.
• The Gupta‟s did not rule directly, only asking for tribute payments. Appointed governors at the
provincial level and local level.
• The area of direct rule was smaller than the Mauryan‟s.
• This is considered India‟s “Golden Age” more for cultural brilliance than political power.
Gupta-Golden Age
• They presided over a resurgence of Sanskrit literature and Hindu philosophy.
• Used Sanskrit as its official correspondence. Earlier rulers used Prakrit, a variant of Sanskrit that
was closer to the language of the people.
• Hindu experienced an resurgence in Religious authority.
• Hinduism started to overtake Buddhism. The caste system was elaborated and enforced in more
detail.
Huna Invasions
• The Hunas were a branch of the Xiongnu, part of the nomadic tribes that roamed the region north
of the Great Wall.
• Their base was in Afghanistan.
• First invasion was in 460. The Gupta‟s won, yet trade was disrupted and empire began losing
wealth. This created a domino effect, no central power, local leaders start to gain control, easier to
take over.
Huna
• They were cruel. Their rule was short, it ended in 528. They were defeated by regional princes.
• The effect of the Huna rule was that India was not to be unified again. Buddhism took a huge hit.
• More people moved into the region, by more, we mean different.
Huna-wrap up
• Reduction of inter-regional trade, decline of culture, introduction of new nomadic people.
• Mirrored the collapse of Rome. Only China was able to survive.
Regional Power
• Most Indian history comes from the Ganges valley. The Aryans, Mauryans, Guptas, Moghuls, and
British all went to the Ganges Valley. Even today‟s independent government is located in the
Ganges Valley.
• There were many languages in India, today two are used: Hindi and English.
• The south has maintained the most independence. There are several families and ethnic groups
that ruled. The Pandyas ruled in the extreme southwest.
Sea Trade
• The inland empires received wealth from the Ganges, there was trade on the west coast. The trade
was with the Roman empire.
• After research it was discovered that Indians were not manning the ships, it was Romans, Arabs
and Jews.
Greater India
• India spread itself out to other areas. Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, among others.
• Funan, the area in Vietnam was responsible for the spreading of the Indian culture in southeast
Asia. The Indians spread Buddhism and Hinduism. Sanskrit was spread to Vietnam. The
• Even other areas the came in contact with Funan, they adopted the Indian culture.
• Buddhism and Hinduism was spread in all areas.
• The monument in Borobudur Java is an example of Buddhism in the region.
• Angkor Wat is the Hindu example in the region.
Comparisions
• People want to compare the Roman, Chinese and Indian empires. They are unable because the
Indian‟s did not keep accurate records.