01:506:201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Maurya Empire, Middle Kingdoms Of India, Upanishads
17 May 2018
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Chapter 3 – Classical Civilization: India
1. Introduction – difference vs. China
1. China focus on politics/related philosophies vs. India focus on
religion/social structure
2. Less cohesive political structure
3. Both were agricultural societies, localist flavor, male ownership,
patriarchal, trade
2. The Framework for Indian History: Geography and a Formative Period
1. Closer to other civilizations
1. Influenced by Middle East/Mediterranean
2. Persian Empires spilled over/Alexander also
3. Forced to react and adapt
2. Topography
1. Passes through Himalayas linked India
2. Somewhat set apart
3. Political unity difficult – greater diversity than middle
kingdom
3. River civilizations – Indus and Ganges
4. Mountainous north – herding society
5. Separate regions contributed to:
1. economic diversity
2. racial differences
3. language differences
6. Unstable, monsoon climate – but helped with agriculture
1. Harvest two crops in a year, help support large population
7. Formative period – Vedic and Epic ages – Aryan migrants –
hunting and herding peoples
1. Knowledge passed down through epics written in Sanskrit –
Vedas
1. Mahabharata
2. Ramayana
3. Upanishads
2. Aryans settled, made tight-knit villages
1. Families patriarchal, connected across generation
2. Aryans created social classes
1. Warrior/governing – Kshatriyas
2. Priests – Brahmins
3. Traders/farmers – Vaisyas
4. Common laborers – Sudras
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5. Untouchables – refuse, transporting dead
bodies, other lovely jobs
3. Social groups became hereditary
1. Can’t marry between castes – punishable by
death
2. Broken into smaller subgroups
4. Aryans brought polytheistic religion – similar to Greek
myth, Scandinavians
1. One of few polytheistic religions to survive
1. Hymns/sacrifice
5. Upanishads – epic poems
1. Sacred animals – monkeys/cattle
2. Rituals and sacrifice
3. Brahmin class enforced rituals
4. Unifying divine force, seek union with this force
3. Patterns in Classical India – end of 600 BCE – formative phase
1. 16 major states existed – some monarchies, some republics –
dominated by warriors/priests
2. Eras often created as reaction to invaders
3. Mauryan Dynasty – Chandragupta Mauryan 322BCE – unified
subcontinent
1. maintained large armies
2. developed bureaucracy
3. highly autocratic – rely on ruler’s power
4. style of govt
1. autocratic – based on ruler’s personal/military power
5. Ashoka – grandson – lavish lifestyle
1. influenced by nature/spiritualism
2. but…bloodthirsty methods of expansion
3. converted to Buddhism – think Constantine
1. spread Buddhism throughout empire, honored
Hinduism – precedent
4. improved trade/ road network
6. Kushans – outside invaders – converted to Buddhism
1. but…bad for Buddhism – connected to outsiders
4. Guptas – 320 CE
1. no powerful individual rulers, but greater impact
2. negotiate w/ local princes
1. expanded influence w/out fighting – diff. than above
3. two generations of political stability – think Pax Romana
5. Shifted between empires and network of smaller kingdoms
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