India Mauryan Empire and Gupta Empire – Flashcards

- India was divided into small kingdoms and states - each kingdom has its own ruler - until the rise of great Mauryan Empire

- Chandragupta Maurya began conquer surrounding kingdoms and also controlled north India by 303BC - 324BC - 184BC

- from *kingdom Magadha* - first began conquering surrounding kingdoms in the northeast - by 303 BC, controlled north India - first king of Maurya Empire

- Ashoka invaded Kalinga - the battle of Kalinga was a *massive slaughter* - *Ashoka regreted it and converted to Buddhism*

- King of Maurya, *grandson of Chandragupta* - conversion experience: *battle of Kalinga * => Buddhism - promoted Buddhist philosophy - *Rock Edicts (message Edicts of Ashoka)* - spread Buddhism to Sri Lanka (other country)

- Ashoka sent missionaries to spread Buddhism to Sri Lanka - an island - had buddhism even when it wasn't that important in India

- Ashoka made part of his duty as emperor to spread Buddhist teachings - he had messages (*Edicts of Ashoka*) inscribed on stone pillars and rocks to urge people in the "right conduct"

- a term meaning non violence

- Buddhist shrine/temple - is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing śarīra "relics", typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns, used as a place of meditation.

- Buddha became god in Hinduism - challenged caste system - When king Ashoka died, Hinduism started again

- many cultures, language groups. - Caste system didn't need government or central political system. - People were more loyal to Jatis than kings

- heavy tax - large army - spies - govern big regions

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- 320-550 AD - *less centralized than Maurya Empir*e - gained wealth through taxing trade routes - acquired prestige & power through attractive culture

- longest poem ever - 3x longer than Christian Bible - 8x longer than Lliad & oddesy combined

- mathematician & astronomer - Pi - circumfence of Earth - Earth's planetary rotation - Astronomy

- picked up by Arysbhata & brought to the west

- 1000 diseases classified - inoculations (vaccine) - C-sections performed - plastic surgery

Exchange for Textiles: - spices -> spice island & Arabia - Silk -> Tailla?? China??

something you sell outwards

cotton

- succession prob -> stronger landlords - Huns (xiong nu) cut off trade routes

- woman's rights decreased - child marriages (girl marries older man) - loss of right to inherit property - treated like the sundras - sati: self immolation of a widow

1. similarity: - Both ruled over large areas of *north India*, and both expanded their territory and basically became empires - through conquest. - both *blossomed* under control of their rulers 2. difference: - *time of existence*: Mauryan Empire (321-185 BCE); Gupta Empire (320-550 CE). - *Maurya Empire was vaster/larger* as compared to Gupta Empire. - *Mauryan rulers has a centralized administration structure*, whereas Gupta rulers followed a decentralized administrative structure. - *Mauryan* rulers favored and promoted mainly *non-Hindu religions (Buddism?)*; whereas Gupta rulers followed and promoted Hinduism. - *Tax system* during the Mauryan dynasty was stringent; whereas Gupta rulers favored more liberal tax system. - *External trade and commerce flourished during Mauryan* dynasty unlike Gupta dynasty. - Great architectural structures and pillars were built during the Mauryan dynasty; whereas science, literature and astronomy flourished during the Gupta period. - Decline of the Mauryan Empire was abetted by internal strife and assassination of ruler; Gupta dynasty faced external threat and military conflict.