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The Vedic Age and Early Indian Empires: Foundations of Hinduism and Governance

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korbin
25 diapositives · 487 Views · Jan 11, 2014

The Vedic Age (1500-500 BCE) marked the beginnings of Hinduism with the establishment of the caste system shaped by Aryan migration. The Vedas in Sanskrit defined core beliefs alongside the social hierarchy of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The Maurya Empire (321-185 BCE), under rulers Chandragupta and Ashoka, unified northern India and promoted Buddhism. The subsequent Gupta Empire (320-647 CE) witnessed significant advancements in trade, medicine, arts, and science. However, invasions in the 500s led to the decline of Gupta prosperity and fragmentation into regional Hindu kingdoms.

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  1. ClassicalINDIA

  2. The Vedic Age (1500 BCE - 500 BCE)

  3. The Vedic Age The foundations for Hinduism were established!

  4. Aryan Migration • pastoral  depended on their cattle. • warriors  horse-drawn chariots.

  5. Sanskrit writing

  6. The Vedas • Series of books • written in SANSKRIT. • Religious text is the Hindu core of beliefs • Upanishads = establishes relationship of soul to Brahman Rig Veda oldest work.

  7. Varna (Social Hierarchy) What is aJATI? Brahmins Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras Those with no caste: Untouchables

  8. The Caste System Brahmins • SOCIAL CLASSES= • Purusha’s mouth • arms • legs • feet Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras

  9. Maurya & Gupta India

  10. The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE

  11. CHANDRAGUPTA • Chandragupta Maurya unified northern India. Extremely centralized! • Divided empire into provinces & districts for tax assessments and law enforcement. • Feared assassination  food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc. • 301 BCE  gave up his throne & became a Jain.

  12. Kautilya • Chandragupta’s advisor. • Wrote the Arthashastra: • A guide for the king and his ministers • Supports royal power. • The great evil in society is anarchy. • Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when necessary!

  13. Ashoka 304-232 BCE • Ashoka = most important • ruler of Maurya • Religious conversion after gruesome battle of Kalinga • religiously tolerant • Patronized Buddhism • Conflict how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?

  14. Mauryan Empire under Ashoka – HUGE!

  15. Ashoka’s law code • Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic – Cosmopolitan (diverse) empire! • Buddhist principles dominate his laws. • Focus on: nonviolence, morality, & religious toleration • Note the pillar on the left!

  16. Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE Tamils The Mauryan Empire gets divided into many kingdoms

  17. Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

  18. Gupta Rulers • Chandra GuptaI • r. 320 – 335 CE • Chandra Gupta II • r. 375 - 415 CE • Profitable trade of cotton & pepper • Guptas were Hindu, not Buddhists • Less centralized & smaller than Mauryan • Theater State

  19. Xuanzang: Life in Gupta India • Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Roads and visited India in the 5c. • 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.

  20. Empire under Chandra Gupta II

  21. International Trade Routes during the Guptas

  22. Extensive Trade spices silks cotton goods spices horses cotton

  23. GuptaArt Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

  24. 1000 diseasesclassified 500 healingplants identified Gupta Achievements Printedmedicinal guides Medicine PlasticSurgery GuptaIndia Inoculations C-sectionsperformed SolarCalendar Astronomy Mathematics DecimalSystem The earthis round PI = 3.1416 Conceptof Zero

  25. The Decline of the Guptas • Invasion by White Huns in the 500s = end of the Gupta Golden Age • decline of Gupta empire - north India broke into many separate Hindu kingdoms ruled by rajputs • Indian History: Unity v. Disunity