Beyond the Classical Civilizations: Diversity and Decline by 500 C.E.

1. The Classical Period: Directions, Diversities, and Declines by 500 C.E. 6

2. Chapter Overview • Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Decline in China and India • The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • The Development and Spread of World Religions

3. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Important Changes Elsewhere • Africa, Japan, northern Europe • Outside the dominant areas, but influential • Establishment of enduring contacts

4. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Developments in Africa's Kush and Its Heritage • Kush, from 1000 B.C.E. • Linked to Egypt, but autonomous • Conquered Egypt c. 750 B.C.E. • Axum • Defeats Kush, c. 300 B.C.E. • Ethiopia • Defeats Axum • Contacts with Mediterranean

5. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Sub-Saharan Africa • Legacy of Egyptian, Kushite civilization unclear • Extension of agriculture • First along Sahel • Followed by establishment of west African kingdoms • Ghana • First great sub-Saharan state

6. Nomads and Cross-Civilization Contacts and Exchanges • Nomadic peoples as key agents of trade • Use of animals • Protection from bandits • But also Black Death, disease • Transfer of technology • During both war and peace • Military • Cavalry and tactics • Developing defense from nomads

7. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Japan and Northern Europe • Japan • Agriculture widespread by 200 C.E. • Migrations from Korea, done by 200 • Tribal organization • Worship of common ancestor • Developed into states • Shintoism • Worship of rulers • Unified by 700 C.E.

8. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • Japan and Northern Europe • Northern Europe • Germanic, Celtic, Slavic peoples • Regional, often transitory kingdoms • Scandinavians emerging as seafarers • Religion • Gods associated with natural forces • Spread of Christianity

9. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • The Americas • Olmec Civilization, from c. 1200 B.C.E. • Sophisticated art • Disappeared c. 400 B.C.E. • The Valley of Mexico: Teotihuacan • Enormous temple pyramids • Religious art • Abandoned after nomadic attacks

10. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • The Americas • The Classic Maya • From c. 300–900 C.E. • Shared culture in different regions • Major accomplishments • Calendar system • System of writing • Ritual ball game • Abandoned until revival by Toltecs

11. Beyond the Classical Civilizations • The Americas • The Andes • Mochica state 200–700 C.E. • Pottery art • Clay brick architecture • Rise of the Incas, c. 800 C.E. • Polynesia • Isolated development • Reached Fiji, Samoa by 1000 B.C.E. • To Hawaii by 400 C.E.

12. Decline in China and India • Collapse of Classical Civilizations • All or in part • China • Mediterranean • India • All suffer from expansion in Central Asia

13. Decline in China and India • Decline and Fall in Han China • Decline by 100 C.E. • Intellectual creativity slows • Local landlords gain in power • Rising social tensions • Yellow Turbans, 184 C.E. • Daoist revolutionaries • Total deposition in 220 C.E.

14. Decline in China and India • Decline and Fall in Han China • Invasions • Three centuries of disruption • Buddhism introduced • Ended by Sui Dynasty • Tang Dynasty, 618 C.E. • Chinese culture resumes

15. Decline in China and India • The End of the Guptas: Decline in India • Invasions from 500 C.E. • Probably Huns • Gupta Empire destroyed by 400 C.E. • Invaders integrated into warrior class • Harsha Vardharna • Rajputs emerge from these groups • Small states, emphasis on military virtues • Hinduism gains ground from Buddhism • Islam introduced from 600's

16. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Prelude • Population decline • Brutal, arbitrary rulers • Cities shrink • Flight from taxation

17. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Wide-Ranging Signs of Decline • Pervasive despair • More disruptive than in China, India • Problems in politics, population • Causes of Roman Decline • Lead poisoning • Plagues • Creativity seems to falter • An accumulation of factors

18. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • The Process of Roman Decline • Great estates emerge • Landlords gain power at the expense of government • Diocletian (284–305) • Reorganizes bureaucracy, tax collection, status of emperor • Constantine (312–337) • New capital, Constantinople • Christianity serves as a unifier

19. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • The Process of Roman Decline • Western Empire declines • Economic weakness • Eastern Empire, Constantinople • Becomes center of Roman world

20. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Attila the Hun • Led nomadic tribe to Rome • Cavalry over infantry • Patterns of Decline? • Inevitable vs. cycles of decline • Internal weakness

21. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Results of the Fall of Rome • Collapse • Has massive legacy in western imagination • Uneven – Eastern Empire thrives

22. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Results of the Fall of Rome • The Byzantine empire • No real "fall" • Shaped by context of late Roman Empire • Autocratic emperors • Greek language • Justinian • Attempt to reconquer Western Empire • Influential codification of Roman laws

23. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Results of the Fall of Rome • North Africa • Augustine • Regional Kingdoms • Spread of Christianity, but uneven • Coptic Church

24. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire • Western Europe • Greatest disruption • Civilization itself shattered • Cities shrink • Christianity provides structure • Yet, "fall" of Rome not noted at the time

25. The Development and Spread of World Religions • Rise of World Religions • Disease creates demand for new answers • Buddhism spreads into Asia • Rise of Christianity, Islam • Civilization declines and redirected • Syncretism with earlier beliefs

26. The Development and Spread of World Religions • Christianity and Buddhism Compared • Mahayana Buddhism in China • Buddha as a savior • Doctrine of bodhisattvas develops • Stressed afterlife, as with Christianity • Christianity • Religious images • Title of "saint" • Church organization and structure • Value of missionary activity

27. The Development and Spread of World Religions • Early Christianity • Moves westward • Exclusive • Idea of one truth • Jesus of Nazareth • Message of salvation • Disciples spread message

28. The Development and Spread of World Religions • Early Christianity • One supreme god who loved humankind • The best life included worship, fellowship • Poverty might be the best path • Eagerly accepted • Paul of Tarsus moves Christianity away from Judaism • Persecuted for centuries • Strong organization, following by 400

29. The Development and Spread of World Religions • Christianity Gains Ground • Following among all social classes • Synthesis with classical culture • Borrowing in government, architecture, art • Latin language and literature • Pope • Council of Nicaea, 325 C.E. • Benedict of Nursia

30. The Development and Spread of World Religions • The New Religious Map • A feature of the end of the classical world • Develop under similar circumstances • Animism retreats • Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism

31. The Development and Spread of World Religions • In the Wake of Decline and Fall • China and India • Substantial cultural cohesion • Contemporary civilizations in same basic locations • Mediterranean • Split without common beliefs • Selective heritage