3-C. Classical Civilizations

Golden Ages

GOLDEN AGES Greece, Gupta, Han, Maya, Roman

Pax, Achievements, Golden Age

• Greece

• Gupta

• Han

• Maya

• Rome

Golden Age: Greece

The Persians & Greeks: Crash Course World History #5

Censor: 5:50-5:57 Golden Age starts at 6:35

First Historians

• Herodotus = “father of history”

– Traveled a lot in Persian Empire and Greek colonies

– Checked reliability of sources; interviewed people

• Thucydides

– Peloponnesian War

– Rejected idea that gods influence human affairs

First Scientists

• Greeks: world ruled by natural laws and humans can figure it out through reason and observation

• Greeks: studying maths could lead to absolute truth and eternal knowledge

First Scientists

• Thales (astronomy)

• Pythagoreans (geometry and humbers)

• Hippocrates (“father of medicine”)

Athenian Empire

• Liberated Greek city-states held by Persia

• “Age of Pericles”

• Direct democracy

– Male citizens

– Meet each 10 days

– Ostracism

– Rebuilding project in aftermath of war destruction

• 300,000 pop.

– ~1/3 slaves

• Economy = farming and trade

– 50-80% of grain imported

• Family structure

• Women

Age of Pericles

Age of Pericles

Peloponnesian war

• 431-405 BCE

1. What was the effect of the Persian invasion on Greece?

2. What is important about the battle of Marathon?

3. What started the Greek golden age?

4. What limits were there to Athenian democracy?

5. What modern government ideas started in Athens?

Athens 1. Period of peace and prosperity – 30 years “Athenian Golden Age” a.k.a “Age of

Pericles” 480 BCE-404 BCE

2. Empires connect their districts with protected road/communication networks – Athenian navy dominates Aegean

3. Empires develop a bureaucracy to manage the empire and divide it into administrative districts such as provinces or satrapies –

4. 4. Cultural diffusion occurs through trade – Greek products spread through Aegean, Mediterranean, Black Sea – Athens imports grain, exports artisan goods like pottery, olive oil, wine

5. Empires enjoy accomplishments in the arts, literature, sciences, philosophy, and architecture at their height – See next page…

6. The language of the dominant culture or trading people become a “lingua franca” for the region – Greek, koine Greek, becomes language of politics and commerce in the region

7. There is a social hierarchy with limited social mobility – Athens divided into citizens, “metics” (free foreigners allowed in – professionals, merchants, artisans), slaves

Summary Achievements

• Form of Government – Direct democracy (Athens) – The Polis

• Philosophers – Socrates – Plato – Aristotle

• Historians – Thucydides – History of the Persian Wars by Herodotus

• Olympic games & Theater – Iliad and Odyssey by Homer

• Greek language, architecture (The Parthenon), sculpture, science ETC!

Golden Age: Gupta

Gupta mathematicians

•developed the concept of zero

•developed the decimal system based on the number 10.

number writing system

•created a number writing system that was later adopted by the Islamic Empire.

– Arabic Numerals = number writing system used throughout the world today.

Gupta architecture

•stone temples to the various Hindu gods.

•Buddhists built shrines to house the remains of select holy people.

–called Stupas.

•form of architecture made its way to China where it was altered slightly and renamed the pagoda.

Golden Age: Han

Pax Sinica

• strong administrative machinery, strong leader Wudi (141-87 BCE)

• government monopolies in certain critical commodities, such as salt, alcohol, and iron

Pax Sinica

• recruitment of a highly educated administrative elite, a new version of the shi.

• Confucianism

– moral guidance and restraint on the ruler,

– could be overthrown based on Mandate of Heaven

Han Wudi

• 156 - 87 BCE • vast territorial expansion • strong and centralized

Confucian state • greatest emperor of the

Han dynasty • one of the greatest

emperors in Chinese history.

• Made Han Dynasty one of the most powerful

• reign lasted 54 years

1. What commodities did government control under Wudi?

2. What was government control designed to prevent?

3. What did they decide after the Debate on Salt and Iron?

silk road

• silk from China westward

• glass, linen, and gold from the West

The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course

World History #9

Golden Age: Roman

The Roman Empire. Or Republic. Or...Which Was It?: Crash Course World History #10

• Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius – Trajan = increase empire to largest size

– Pius = prosperity

– Aurelius = bigger prosperity

“Good” Emperors

• Professional governors instead of Senate appointment of proconsuls

• Emperor = head of religion

– Worshipped as a god

• Law reform

– Jus gentium

– Jus civile • By 200 CE all = jus civile

– Generally state more impt. than individ. BUT indiv. had defined rights.

• Professional standing army loyal to emperor – Costly – had to cut back

Roman Rule

Roman Civilization

• Pax Romana

– Trade

– Rise standards living • For the few – the many still poverty

– Achievements arts, sciences, architecture

• Romans = great copy cats

– Unique: aqueduct, brick, mortar/cement

• Language

• - Latin = lingua franca Europe

• Literature

– Cicero, Ovid, Horace, Virgil