Chapter 12

Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads

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Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World

Lack of police enforcement outside of established settlements

Changed in classical period Improvement of infrastructure Development of empires

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Trade Networks Develop

Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek colonization

Maintenance of roads, bridges Discovery of monsoon wind patterns Increased tariff revenues used to maintain open

routes

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Trade in the Hellenistic World

Bactria/India Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls

Persia, Egypt Grain

Mediterranean Wine, oil, jewelry, art

Development of professional merchant class

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The Silk Roads

Named for principal commodity from China Dependent on imperial stability Overland trade routes from China to Roman

empire Sea lanes and maritime trade as well

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The Silk Roads, 200 B.C.E.-300 C.E.

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Organization of Long-Distance Trade

Divided into small segments Trade done in stages

Sea trade Malay and Indian mariners Persian, Egyptian, Greek

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Cultural Trade: Buddhism and Hinduism

Merchants carry religious ideas along silk routes India through central Asia to east Asia Cosmopolitan centers promote development of

monasteries to shelter traveling merchants Buddhism becomes dominant faith of silk roads,

200 B.C.E.-1000 C.E.

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The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, 200 B.C.E.-400 C.E.

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Buddhism in China

Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations

Gradual spread to larger population, beginning fifth century C.E.

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Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia

Sea lanes in Indian Ocean First century C.E., clear Indian influence in

southeast Asia Rulers called “rajas” Sanskrit used for written communication Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths

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Christianity in Mediterranean Basin

Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia, third century C.E.

Christianity spreads through middle east, north Africa, Europe

Sizeable communities as far east as India Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced

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Christianity in Southwest Asia

Influence of ascetic practices from India Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies After fifth century C.E., followed Nestorius

Emphasized human nature of Jesus

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Spread of Manichaeism

Mani a devout Zoroastrian (216-272 C.E.) Viewed himself a prophet for all humanity Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism Dualist

Good vs. evil Light vs. dark Spirit vs. matter

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Manichaean Society

Devout: “the elect” Ascetic lifestyle Celibacy, vegetarianism Life of prayer and fasting

Laity: “hearers” Material supporters of “the elect”

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Decline of Manichaeism

Spread through silk routes to major cities in Roman empire

Zoroastrian opposition provokes Sasanid persecution Mani arrested, dies in captivity

Romans, fearing Persian influence, also persecute

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The Spread of Epidemic Disease

Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens Limited data, but trends in demographics

reasonably clear Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague Effect: economic slowdown, move to regional

self-sufficiency

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Epidemics in the Han and Roman Empires

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Internal Decay of the Han State

Court intrigue Problem of land distribution

Large landholders develop private armies Epidemics Peasant rebellions

184 C.E., Yellow Turban uprising

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Collapse of the Han Dynasty

Generals assume authority, reduce emperor to puppet figure

Alliance with landowners 200 C.E., Han dynasty

abolished, replaced by three kingdoms

Immigration of northern nomads increases

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Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples

Social and cultural changes to a Chinese way of life

Adapted to the Chinese environment Agriculture

Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage

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Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism

Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines

Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity Religions of salvation

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Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors

The “barracks emperors” 235-284 C.E., twenty-six claimants to the throne,

all but one killed in power struggles Epidemics Disintegration of imperial economy in favor of

local and regional self-sufficient economies

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Diocletian (r. 284-305 C.E.)

Divided empire into two administrative districts Co-emperors, dual lieutenants

“Tetrarchs” Currency, budget reform Relative stability disappears after Diocletian's

death, civil war follows Constantine emerges victorious

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Fall of the Roman Empire: External Factors

Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity Formerly buffer states for Roman empire

Attacked by Huns under Attila in fifth century C.E.

Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman empire

Sacked Rome in 410 C.E., established Germanic emperor in 476 C.E.

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Germanic Invasions and the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, 450-476 C.E.

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Cultural Change in the Roman Empire

Growth of Christianity Constantine’s vision, 312 C.E. Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian practice Converts to Christianity

380 C.E., Emperor Theodosius proclaims Christianity official religion of Roman empire

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St. Augustine (354-430 C.E.)

Hippo, north Africa Experimented with Greek thought, Manichaeism 387 C.E., converts to Christianity Major theologian

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The Institutional Church

Conflicts over doctrine and practice in early Church Divinity of Jesus Role of women

Church hierarchy established Patriarchs, bishop of Rome

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