IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184 The Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184

BCEBCE• The core kingdom of The core kingdom of MagadhaMagadha

• strategic location• plentiful resources.

• Founded by Founded by Chandragupta Chandragupta MauryaMaurya

• Tradition maintains that a Machiavellian Brahmin, Kautilya, guided Chandragupta.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184 The Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184

BCEBCE• Capital at the Capital at the walled and moated walled and moated city of Pataliputra.city of Pataliputra.

• The imperial The imperial establishment establishment supported by:supported by:

• A 25 percent taxon the agricultural products

of the empire• State monopolies on

mines,shipbuilding, and

armaments.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184 The Mauryan Empire, 324 – 184

BCEBCEEmperor Ashoka (r. Emperor Ashoka (r. 269–232 B.C.E.).269–232 B.C.E.).

• Shaken by the carnage in a brutal war of expansion in the south, converted to Buddhism.

• His Buddhist policies of government are preserved in edicts that were inscribed on rocks and polished sandstone.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIACommerce & Culture in an era of Commerce & Culture in an era of

FragmentationFragmentation• The Mauryan The Mauryan empire collapsed empire collapsed in 184 B.C.E.in 184 B.C.E.

• Northern India Northern India fell into a period fell into a period of political of political fragmentation:fragmentation:

• Accompanied by economic development in which guilds of artisans and merchants played a dominant role.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIACommerce & Culture in an era of Commerce & Culture in an era of

FragmentationFragmentation• Period of fragmentation Period of fragmentation

was also characterized by was also characterized by cultural development.cultural development.

• Included the writing of Included the writing of Ramayana & Mahabharata:Ramayana & Mahabharata:

• Bhagavad-Gita, addresses the contradiction between duty to society and duty to one’s own soul.

• The period also saw The period also saw developments in herbal developments in herbal medicine and linguistics.medicine and linguistics.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIACommerce & Culture in an era of Commerce & Culture in an era of

FragmentationFragmentation• Historians of Historians of

southern India southern India consider the period consider the period from the third from the third century B.C.E. to century B.C.E. to the third century the third century C.E., dominated by C.E., dominated by three often feuding three often feuding Tamil kingdoms—Tamil kingdoms—the Cholas, the Cholas, Pandyas, and Pandyas, and Cheras—a Cheras—a “classical” period “classical” period for Tamil art and for Tamil art and literature.literature.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• Like the Mauryan Like the Mauryan Empire, the Gupta Empire, the Gupta Empire began with the Empire began with the kingdom of Magadha.kingdom of Magadha.

• Like the Mauryan Like the Mauryan rulers, the Guptas rulers, the Guptas controlled iron controlled iron deposits, established deposits, established state monopolies, and state monopolies, and collected a 25 percent collected a 25 percent agricultural tax.agricultural tax.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• Use the army to Use the army to control the core of control the core of their empiretheir empire

• Provincial Provincial administration was left administration was left to governors:to governors:

• Posts become hereditary with appointments based on kinship groups

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• Women’s experience Women’s experience during the Gupta period:during the Gupta period:

• Lost the right to inherit and own property

• Married very young• Widow was required to burn

herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. (sati)

Ways to escape this low status:Ways to escape this low status:• join a religious community• to be a member of an extremely

wealthy family• be a courtesan.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• Brahmins regain Brahmins regain power, influence, and power, influence, and wealthwealth

• The classic form of the The classic form of the Hindu temple, with Hindu temple, with exterior courtyard, exterior courtyard, inner shrine, and wall inner shrine, and wall decorationsdecorations

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• Gupta India was linked Gupta India was linked to the outside world by to the outside world by extensive trade extensive trade networksnetworks

• Trade with Southeast Trade with Southeast and East Asia and East Asia particularly flourished.particularly flourished.

IMPERIAL INDIAIMPERIAL INDIAThe Gupta Empire, 320–550 C.E.

• In 550 C.E., the Gupta In 550 C.E., the Gupta Empire collapsed under the Empire collapsed under the pressure of nomadic invaders pressure of nomadic invaders from the northwest.from the northwest.

• Harsha Vardhana (r. 606–647 C.E), the ruler of the region around Delhi, briefly restored imperial power.

• After Harsha’s death, northern India again fell into political fragmentation and remained divided until the Muslim invasions of the eleventh and twelfth centuries.