Key Concept 2.2 The Development of States and Empires

1. Key Concept 2.2The Development of States and Empires 600 BCE to 600 CE

2. Outline • Main Idea • Growth of states and empires due to political unity • What is an empire? • Compared to Ancient Era • The empires by region • Southwest Asia • East Asia • South Asia • Mediterranean • Mesoamerica • Andean South America • Empires and states developed new techniques of imperial administration based on the success of earlier political forms • Administrative institutions • Military power • Trade and infrastructure • Unique social and economic dimensions developed in imperial societies in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. • Cities • Social hierarchies • Food • Patriarchy • The Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan, and Gupta empires created difficulties that they could not manage which eventually led to their decline, collapse, and transformation. • Excessive mobilization of resources • External problems

3. Main Idea In the Classical Era (600 BCE to 600 CE), empires and city-states developed and expanded throughout Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. Leaders were able to create large empires by unifying the cultures and creating complex government structures. Eventually, this overextension led to the collapse of all of the major empires.

4. Growth of states and empires due to political unity. • An empire is a large collection of people across a broad geographic range that lives under a common rule. • Dynasties are empires whose leadership flows through one family line. • Common characteristics of the classical empires: • Long trade routes • Levied taxes • Enforced religion • Threats from barbarians • Central and local governments • Standing armies

5. Classical era v. ancient era • Fewer in number • Greater size • Population • Geographically The most influential empires of the Classical Era were the Roman, Persian, and Chinese Empires.

6. Southwest Asian Empires • Persian (Achaemenid) Empire (550-330 BCE) • Cyrus and Darius • Centered in modern Iran • Larger than Parthian • King used regional leaders known as satraps to watch over portions of the empire and report back to him • World’s first highway systems—the Royal Road • Overextended itself, therefore vulnerable • Alexander the Great spent eleven years tackling the Achaemenid Empire but died soon after accomplishing his goal and the empire was divided amongst his generals. • Parthian Empire (250 BCE-220 CE) • Defeated Alexander the Great’s divided empire • Biggest rival was Rome

7. Southwest Asian Empires

8. East Asian Empires Qin (220-206 BCE) Han (206 BCE–220 CE) Exchanged trade and diplomatic ties along the Silk Roads Capital Chang’an Extended its power Great Wall of China Canal-digging projects Designed to help trade Helped the movement of people • Arose after the Warring States period • Emperor Qin Shihuangdi • Legalism • Created a solid foundation for dynastic rule

9. East Asian Empires

10. South Asian Empires Mauryan (321-185 BCE) Gupta (320-550 CE) Chandra Gupta Cultural contributions Stressed symbolism Circumference of the earth and value of pi Concept of zero, decimals, and the number system we use today • Chandragupta Maurya • Ashoka • Buddhism • Agricultural development and infrastructure Despite Ashoka’s efforts, Hinduism’s influence rose in India. The patriarchal society with a strict caste system still exists today.

11. The Mediterranean • Main empires of the Mediterranean region: • Phoenicia and colonies • Greek city-states and colonies • Hellenistic and Roman Empires

12. Phoenicia and its colonies • Established colonies in Greece, Italy, North Africa, and Spain • Interest in trade, not military power • Specialized in luxury goods • Modern day contributions include reading left to right and the alphabet.

13. Greek city-states (Polis) • Democracy • Only free adult men could be citizens and vote • Shared a common language and religion but Athens and Sparta had different forms of government • Sparta was a totalitarian oligarchy • Trade was main economic activity • Patriarchal society • Women under authority of fathers, husbands, sons, etc… • Polytheistic

14. Greek City-States (Polis) • The Persian War (500-470 BCE) • Delian League • Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) • King Philip II • Alexander the Great united the city-states around 300 BCE • Attacked Persian Empire then died • Greatest legacy is Hellenism • Blending of Greek math, science, philosophy, literature, governance, architecture, and art with existing forms in Egypt • This blending is called cultural syncretism

15. The Roman Empire • “Rome captured Greece, but Greece captivated Rome” • The Roman Classical Era • Republic (500-30 BCE) • Patricians and plebians • Empire (30 BCE -476 CE) • Death of Julius Caesar and rise of Augustus • PaxRomana • Twelve Tables

16. The Roman Empire • Dedicated to building • Aqueducts, roads • Military • Protected trade routes • Uprisings • The “Roman way” • Polytheistic • Christian influence in the empire • Edict of Milan • Patriarchal society • Pater familias • Western Rome fell in 476 CE • Byzantine Empire • Constantinople • Code of Justinian

17. Mesoamerican Empires Maya Teotihuacan City-state 200,000 people Separate civilization from Maya Trade War • Complex math calculations, studied the stars, writing system • Religious temples • Tikal • Observatory and palaces • Military • Religion and politics • Human sacrifice

18. Andean South American Empire • Moche(100-800 CE) • Western coast of modern Peru • Government • Architecture • Trade • Crafts

19. Empires and states developed new techniques of imperial administration based on the success of earlier political forms. • Administrative institutions created to get organized • Administrative support in the form of vice-kings, governors, and city-leaders • Record-keepers, post office officials, tax collectors, soldiers, census takers, and judges • Ex: China had a superb communication system • Ex: Rome’s infrastructure • Taxes Many governments in later eras modeled their systems on those from the Classical Era.

20. Military Power • Often a central ruler would command from a capital city • Localized rulers • Sometimes led to insubordination and rebellions • Dynasties set up to create successive lines of imperial rule • Supply lines • Fortifications • Defensive wallsand roads • Conquered peoples • Divine right to rule • Enforced religions

21. Trade and Infrastructure • Trade enabled states to gather wealth and increase in size and influence • Products • Routes

22. Unique social and economic dimensions developed in imperial societies in afro-eurasia and the americas • Cities • Centers of trade, public performance of religious rituals, and political administration for states and empires • Exchanges of goods and ideas • Display of power

23. Social Hierarchies • Social hierarchies in these societies included cultivators, laborers, slaves, artisans, merchants, elites, or caste groups. • Government officials were usually at the top of the system • Social class was often determined by which area of the empire you were from, especially when empires spanned multiple cultures

24. Food • Range of methods used to maintain production of food and provide rewards for the loyalty of the elites • Slavery • Rent and tributes • Peasant communities • Family and household production • Ex: Romans provided workers by enslaving conquered peoples

25. Patriarchy • Shaped gender and family relations in all imperial societies of this period • China: family structures based on Confucianism • Persia and Rome: gender played greater role than family structure

26. The Roman, han, Persian, Mauryan, and Gupta Empires created difficulties that they could manage which eventually led to their decline, collapse and transformation. • Excessive mobilization of resources • Environmental damage • Social tensions • Economic difficulties • Moral decline • Core beliefs • Materialism • External problems • Germanic tribes and the Romans • Gupta and the White Huns • Hans and the Xiongnu