CHAPTER 4 – IRAN, INDIA, AND INNER ASIA TO 200 C.E.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

  • In what ways did the imperial rule that developed in Iran and India during this period contribute to civilizations in and beyond these regions?
  • Why did this period see a significant increase in cross-cultural contacts? How were these contacts manifested? Who participated in these increased contacts?

Chapter 4 Learning Objectives

IRANIAN LANDS: Ancient History

What were the main teachings of Zoroaster, and how did Zoroastrianism influence other traditions?

  • Identify and recognize the origins and main features of ancient Iranian civilizations
  • Explain the key features of Zoroastrian thought, and understand its legacy in the development of later Near Eastern religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as Buddhism

IRANIAN LANDS: The First Persian Empire in the Iranian Plateau (550–330 B.C.E.)

What were the chief achievements of the Achaemenid Empire?

  • Trace the origins, growth, and development of the Achaemenid state and empire
  • Understand the importance of Achaemenid civilization as a conduit for economic and cultural transmission between the Near East and Asia

INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA: The First Indian Empire (321–185 B.C.E.)

How was the Mauryan Empire created?

  • Understand the origins and development of the Mauryan state
  • Identify and explain the significant features and legacies of the reign of Ashoka

INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA: The Consolidation of Indian Civilization (200 B.C.E.–- 300 C.E.)

What roles did Buddhism play in post-Mauryan Indian culture?

  • Recognize the key features and characteristics of the post-Mauryan period in northern and central India
  • Describe and explain the development of the Buddhist and Hindu traditions

INNER ASIA: The Seleucids and the Indo-Greeks

How did Hellenistic Greek culture influence Iranian and northern Indian civilization?

  • Identify the key features of the Seleucids
  • Understand the nature and extent of the Indo-Greeks and their influence

INNER ASIA: Steppe Peoples

How did the steppe peoples act as vehicles for cultural exchange?

  • Identify key features of the Parthians, Sakas, and Kushans
  • Understand the key roles played by these peoples within the Eurasian commercial and cultural system

KEY POINTS AND VITAL CONCEPTS

1.Zoroastrianism: The evolution of the Zoroastrian faith was part of the older Iranian culture and religion associated with the Vedic Aryans. Zarathustra, who probably lived before 1000 B.C.E., was the leader of this movement and preached a message of moral reform. Zoroastrianism probably influenced not only the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim ideas of the Messiah, angels, devils, the last judgment, and an afterlife but also certain Buddhist concepts as well. It was wiped out as a major force by Islam in the seventh and eighth centuries C.E., but its tradition continues in the faith and practice of the Parsis in western India.

2.Indo-Iranian Empires: The Achaemenids, Mauryans, Parthians, Sakas, and Kushans developed similar characteristics of complex empires. These included good administration, professional armies, effective communications, and stability. These developments created opportunities for interaction between China and the Greek world through Buddhism and increased trade. The contributions of these empires created a dynamic opportunity for the steppe people to influence humankind. The assimilation of various cultures created a “high culture” of lasting importance in India.

3.The Merging of Cultures: Because of imperial development during this period, two distinct cultures merged together: Mesopotamia and Iran, and the subcontinent of India. Thus, central Asia remained a cultural melting pot with cross-cultural contacts that affected the Mediterranean, western Eurasia, India, and China. These contributions included steppe–nomad languages, arts, religious practices, and techniques of government. Even though the Iranian and Indian cultures remained distinct, the development of contacts had a lasting impact on humankind.

PRIMARY SOURCE: DOCUMENTS IN WORLD HISTORY DVD-ROM

Text Sources

  • Kautilya, from Arthashastra, “The Duties of Government Superintendents”
  • Excerpts from The Questions of King Milinda
  • The “Cyrus Cylinder”: The First Declaration of Religious Freedom
  • Emperor Asoka, from The Edicts of Asoka

INTERNET RESOURCES

  • India: An excellent and well-illustrated introduction to India.
  • India: has a section on the Vedic age that provides links to substantial translations of the Vedas and the Upanishads, as well as other helpful texts.
  • Persia: provides a fine collection of primary sources and links.
  • Islam: contains many links to sites concerning pre-Islamic and Islamic Arabia.

PRENTICE HALL ATLAS OF WORLD HISTORY, SECOND EDITION

Suggested Maps

  • States and Empires in South Asia 300–1550

SUGGESTED FILMS

  • GloryTthat Remains No. 1 – The Sudden Empire (Persia). British Broadcasting Corporation. 30 min.
  • Glory That Remains No. 5 – Sermons in Stone (India). British Broadcasting Corporation. 30 min.
  • Ancient World Inheritance. Coronet. 11 min.
  • Iran: Land Made in the Desert. University Film Library Holder. 28 min.
  • The Past in Persia. National Educational Television Inc. 29 min.
  • Turkey: Crossroads on the Ancient World. Film Library. 27 min.
  • Zoroastrianism and the Parsis. Doubleday Multimedia Division. 7 min.
  • Lost Civilizations. (510 minutes). Discovery Channel series that includes Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Aegean world, Greece, China, Rome, Maya, Inca, Africa, and Tibet.
  • Ancient India. (50 minutes). Kultur.
  • Asoka. (150 minutes). First Look Entertainment. A dramatic recreation of the emperor’s life produced and shot in India with English subtitles.
  • Sumer, Babylon, Assyria: The Wolves. FHS.
  • The Phoenicians (52 minutes). FHS.