Periodization 2: 600 BCE-600C CE Flashcards
Periodization 2
600 BCE - 600 CE
What was another name for “Alexander the Great”?
Alexander of Macedon
What nation did Alexander invade with a very large army?
Persia
What city did Alexander the Great destroy into ashes?
Persepolis
Which empire did Alexander the Great believe he was the heir of?
Achaemendid
Which empires succeeded the Achaemendid empire?
Seleucid, Parathian, Sasanid
Where did Alexander the Great attempt extending the Achaemendid empire?
India
Which religion encountered problems upon the arrival of Alexander the Great?
Zoroastrianism
Alexander the Great established more extensive trade routes by…?
By forging links between India and the Mediterranean basin by way of Bactria, Persia, and Anatolia
Alexander was known to be what type of leader?
A brilliant strategist, and an inspired leader
Historians refer to the age of Alexander the Great as the ______________ age.
Hellenistic
Alexander the Great was a king to what country?
Macedonia
Alexander the Great remained ____________ in every war up until his death.
Undefeated
How did Alexander the Great die?
Became ill and died shortly after at the age of 32
Alexander the Great was educated by which philosopher?
Aristotle
Who was Alexander’s father?
Phillip
How did the Silk Roads help exchange culture as well as goods?
3
Merchants, missionaries, and other travelers brought not only goods to trade, but their language, religion, culture, and beliefs. Examples of this would be that Buddhism spread in towns along the Silk Road due to merchants passing their religion on to others.
What was the importance of Constantinople serving as a trade center?
3
The importance of Constantinople serving as a trade center is that it established important ties with manufacturers and and merchants in Asia, Russia, and Europe. It also made the Byzantine empire very wealthy due to their control of trade.
What challenges did the Byzantines face from their neighbors?
3
The expanding Western Europe, nomads of Turkey, and Muslim Saljuqs.
(6)
Who was Zeus?
King of gods
(6)
What was the mans role in a family in Ancient Greece?
They would fight in the military
(6)
What was the woman’s role in a family during Ancient Greece?
Ran family estates
(6)
What were the water ways and how did they help out everyday life in Ancient Greece?
Aegean sea and Mediterranean Sea; helps with trading
(6)
Where did the Olympic Games originate?
Ancient Greece
(6)
What does polis mean?
Fortified site that offered refuge for local communities during war or other emergencies.
(6)
Who was the Athens leader?
Pericles
What are the three schools of thought?
Confucianism, Daoism, legalism
(20)What kind of society did the Aryan’s depend on?
Pastoral economy
(20) What was the Aryans sacred language?
Sanskrit.
Who are the three founders of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism
King Fuci- Confucius- Confucianism
Lao Zi- Founder- Daoism
Han Fei Zi- Founder- Legalism
(20) Aryan religion was influenced by the Dravidian in which way?
Dravidian notions of transmigration and reincarnation were adapted.
(20) the Aryan’s didn’t have a written language, but orally transmitted works called the ______?
The Vedas
(20) What was the Aryan “varna” system?
Varna means color, and it refers to social classes.
(20) Who was the Aryans war god and military hero?
Indra
(20) the Aryans daily language was called _____?
Prakit
(20) to the Aryans, ritual _____ were more important than ethics.
Sacrifices
(20) what was “sati”?
A social custom in which widows throw themselves on the funeral pyre.
(20) One of the blending of Aryan and Dravidian values were the Upanishads, which were ______.
Works of religious teachings.(800-400 B.C.E).
(20) “Brahmin” means…
“The universal soul”
(20) “The Lawbook of Manu” dealt with…
Moral behavior and social relationships
(20) How did The Lawbook of Manu advise men to treat women?
With honor and respect
(20) true or false: The Lawbook of Manu subjected women to the control and guidance of men.
True
(20) what were the four main Varnas?
“brahmins” (priests), “Kshatriyas” (warriors and aristocrats), “vaishyas” (cultivators, artisans, and merchants), “shudras” (landless peasants and serfs)
(6)
What was the Parthenon?
A temple in Ancient Greece dedicated to the Greek goddess, Athena
(6)
What were the slaves called in Ancient Greece?
Helots
(6)
Who’s Zeus’ wife?
Hera
(6)
Where did the Greek gods and goddess live?
Mount Olympus
(6)
What kind of religion was there in Ancient Greece?
Polytheistic
(6)
How many different governments were there in Ancient Greece and what were they?
4; monarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, and democracy
(19)
What are the four empires of Persia?
The Achaemenid empire (558-330 B.C.E), the Seleucids (323-83 B.C.E.), the Parthians empire (247-224 B.C.E), the Sasanids empire (224-651 C.E.).
(19)
What caused the decline and fall of the Achaemenid empire?
Persian wars
Defeated by Alexander the Great
(19)
What caused the decline and fall of the Seleucids?
Satraps revolts weakened the empire
Lost their hold in northern India
Parthians progressively took over Iran
Emperors put an end to the Seleucid empire (83 B.C.E.)
(19)
What caused the decline and fall of the Parthian empire?
Pressure form the Roman empire weakened the empire
Internal rebellion brought the Parthian empire down (Early 3rd century C.E.)
(19)
What caused the decline and fall of the Sasanid empire?
Had standoffs with the Kushan, Roman, and Byzantine empires that weakened the Sasanid empire
Came to an end in 651 C.E. When Arab warriors killed the last Sasanid ruler
(19) What religion(s) were seen in the Achaemenid empire?
Zoroastrianism
About 100-500 C.E. - Buddhism, Christianity, and Manichaeism found converts
(19)
What religions were seen in the Parthian and Sasanid empires?
Buddhism, Christianity, and Manichaeism
Islam in the Sasanid empire
(19)
What were the religions seen in the Seleucid empire?
Zoroastrianism
What happened in 509 B.C.E?
The last Etruscan king was removed by the Roman nobles. Then the Roman nobles replaced the monarchy with an aristo tic republic.
- Was the Qin Dynasty centralized or decentralized?
Centralized
- Who was the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty?
Qin Shihuangdi (reigned 221-210 B.C.E)
- What was the purpose of the roads that the Qin had built?
To facilitate communications and the movement of armies
- What was the biggest architectural achievement of the Qin Dynasty?
The Great Wall of China
- What did Qin Shihuangdi do to make sure nobody questioned or criticized his regime?
He killed about 460 scholars and anyone who criticized his regime, but also burnt all books of philosophy, ethics, history, and literature. He exempted works on medicine, fortune-telling, and agriculture because they had some utilization value.
- How long did the Qin Dynasty last?
Only 14 years
- What protected the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi?
A terra-cotta army
What did the Roman nobles do at the heart of the city?
They built the Roman forum.
Who are the plebeians?
Commoners, members of a lower social class.
Who are the patricians?
Aristocrats and or noblemen.
While constituencies voice was heard by the government, what followed that up?
The constitution helped to prevent the emergence of crippling class tension.
What happened after the Romans consolidated their position in Italy?
The Roman founded a large regional state in central Italy at the expense of declining Etruscans and other neighboring people.
What happened during the later fourth century in the Roman Republic?
The Romans built on their early conquest and emerged as a predominate power in the Italian peninsula.
Instead of ruling the people as a vanished subject, what did the Romans do?
The Romans often exempted the people from taxation and allowed them to govern their own internal affairs.
What did the Romans forbade?
Romans forbade conquered people from military or political alliances except with Rome itself.
What was Carthage?
Carthage was an ancient city on the coast of North Africa near present day Tunis.
What were the three Hellenistic empires that succeeded Alexander of Macedon?
The Antigonids ruled Macedon, the Ptolemies ruled Egypt, and the Seleucids included wealthy Syria and Anatolia and their many possessions.
What was the Punic War?
One of the three wars between Carthage and Rome that resulted in the destruction of Carthage and its annexation by Rome;
264-241 BC,
218-201 BC,
149-146 BC
In what region did the Romans and Carthaginians struggle for supremacy?
Sicily, the most important source of grain in the western Mediterranian
Between 215 and 148 B.C.E, Rome fought five major wars, what were they?
Mostly in Macedon and Anatolia .
What is the Roman forum?
A political and civic center filled with temples and public buildings when leading citizens tended to government businesses.
(19)
What system did the Seleucids have?
Retained the Achaemenid systems of administration and taxation
(19)
What did the Achaemenids use for government?
Central initiative and local administration
Had rulers
Administrative and taxation districts governed by satraps
(19)
What did the Parthians do for government?
Governed through satraps
Achaemenid administration and taxation
Not as centralized as the Achaemenids or Seleucids
(19)
What system did the Sasanids have?
Rebuilt an elaborate system of administration
Kings in charge
(19)
Who is Cyrus?
Reigned 558-530 B.C.E.
Conquests laid the foundation for the 1st Persian empire
558 B.C.E. Became king of the Persian tribes
Ruled over an empire that stretched from India to the borders of Egypt
In 530 B.C.E. He died
(2) Who did the Maya inherit the ball game from?
The Olmecs
(2) What was the most important Maya political center between the fourth and ninth centuries c.e.?
Tikal
(2) What modern countries did the Maya occupy?
Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador
(16)- The Romans built what to help with trade and transportation?
They built large networks of roads that were able to hold two way traffic.
(16)- A period of civil peace that lasted for two and a half centuries was known as?
The Pax Romana
(16)- Structures that were built to carry water long distances were known as?
Aqueducts
(16)- What social classes started to gain money/wealth in the Roman Empire?
Merchants, landowners, and construction contractors.
(16)- The Romans used the Mediterranean sea for?
They used the Mediterranean Sea for trade and military purposes and called it mare nostrum (our sea).
(2) What did the large class of priests do in Maya society?
Maintained an elaborate calendar and transmitted knowledge of writing, astronomy, and mathematics.
What were the main trade items the Phoenicians exported28
High quality metal goods, clothes, pottery, glass, and art
What influence did the phoenecians have on surrounding society28
Their use of maritime trade
What was the Byzantine’s influence on Europe?
3
Even after the Byzantine Empire collapsed, it’s effect on the Slavic people politically, commercially, and culturally lasts today.
What made it possible for Arab and Persian merchants to trade to Southeast Asia and India?
3
Advances in maritime technology, compasses, and ship improvements.
What was the phoenecians organization of government28
It was highly decentralized with city state with individual rulers
28 what influences did the phoenecians take from the Mesopotamians
Gods they worshipped, the creation of the alphabet was influenced, and associating gods with the mountains
(2) Why did the Maya perform bloodletting rituals?
They believed it would prompt the gods to send rain water for crops.
(2) What did the Maya script contain?
Ideographic elements (like Chinese characters) and symbols for syllables.
(19)
Who is Darius?
Reigned 521-486 B.C.E.
Greatest of the Achaemenid emperors
More powerful as an administrator than as a conquer
Centralized his administration
Pursued a policy of toleration in administering his vast multicultural empire
(2) What was a major accomplishment of the Maya?
Accurate Calender
(2) Who did most of the bloodletting?
King and Queen
28
What influence did the Phoenicians bring to language
A:they were one of the first societies to not only have an alphabet but used it often to record data
What is the book in Confucianism that contains Confucius teachings?
Analects
What are junzi’s?
Superior individuals
What is ren is Confucian values?
Ren is an attitude of kindness and benevolence or a sense of humanity
What is li in Confucian values?
A sense of propriety, called for individuals to have appropriate behavior
What does Daoism represent?
Represents an effort to understand the fundamental character of the world of nature
What does “dao” mean?
“The way of nature” or “the way of cosmos
What is the chief moral virtue of Daoism?
Wuwei- disengage from competitive exertions and active involvement of the world.
What did the legalisms devote their attention to?
Devotes attention to the state, which they sought to expand at all costs.
What are the legalists’ policies book called?
His policies survive in a work entitled the book of Lord Shang
What did Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi do for education system?
They all accepted students and tutored them, but there was no system to provide a continuous supply of educated candidates for office.
What did Legalist methods bring?
Legalist methods brought an end to the Period of the Warring States & unification to China.
What did committed Daoists reject?
Committed Daoists rejected opportunities to play active roles in government.
Who was Mencius?
Was the most learned man of his age and the principle spokesman for the Confucian school.
Who was Xunzi?
Was a man of immense learning, but unlike his predecessors, he also served many years as a government administrator.
(8) What are some characteristics of the Han dynasty?
- longest and most influential
- ruled by Liu Bang
- Han dynasty named after Liu Bang’s native land
(8) What was an achievement of the Han?
-consolidated the tradition of centralized rule
(8) What did Liu Bang(commander) do to keep advantages of the other dynasties and get rid of unnecessary things during the Han dynasty?
-allotted large landholdings members of the imperial family in return for reliable support of his rule
(8) What was the reason the Han dynasty lasted as long as it did?
- Han Wudi (emperor): occupied throne for 54 years.
- ruled with vision and vigor
(8)What were the two policies Han Wudi went after during the Han dynasty?
- administrative centralization and centralized imperial rule
(8) What did the emperor do to achieve the two polices?
- built an enormous bureaucracy to administer the empire
- relied on Legalist principles of government
- sent imperial officials to implement policies and maintain order
- builds roads and canals to facilitate trade
(8) How did Han Wudi address the problem of recruitment of people for his empire?
- established imperial university that prepared young men for government service.
(8) What was the result of the imperial expansion goal?
- invaded northern Vietnam and Korea
- ruled through Chinese-style government for both lands
- Vietnamese and Korean educational systems drew their inspiration from Confucianism
(8) What was the greatest foreign challenge the Han faced?
- the Xiongnu: nomadic people from the steppes of Central Asia that spoke a Turkish language
(8) Why were the Xiongnu people a threat?
- they were excellent horsemen
- men were trained to hunt and ride animals at a young age
- had the advantage of mobility: able to get up and leave their area to a new place when needed
(8) What was the social order during the Han?
- emphasis on importance of filial piety and women’s subordination to their menfolk
- children were taught to obey and honor their parents or any other elderly figure
(8) What were some technological advances in tools used in agriculture?
- shovels, hoes, picks, sickles and spades with iron parts
(22) what is the government structure of the Mauryan empire?
Many small kingdoms across India around the 300 bc era.
(22) What was the dominant kingdom near the Ganges?
The kingdom of Magadha
(22) who was the leader and founder of the magadha?
Chandragupta Maurya was the strong leader of the empire, he also led many of the empires conquests
(22) By the end of the fourth century B.C, Chandragupta’s empire contained what
All of northern India from the indus to the Ganges
(22) Who is kautalya?
One of Chandragupta’s advisors who devised procedures to govern the empire
(22) Some of kautalya’s advice survives In a handbook known as the..
Arthashastra
(22) who was Ashoka Maurya?
The grandson of Chandragupta and one of the most successful rulers of the empire
(22) Why did Chandragupta give up his thrown
He abdicated his throne to become a monk and lead an ascetic life. This unfortunately leaded to his starvation
(22) What caused the Mauryan empire to initially decline?
The empire started to decline following the death of Ashoka In 232 B.C.
(22) What happened after the decline of the empire?
Local rulers formed a series of kingdoms that brought order to large regions
(22) how long was the Mauryan empire?
The empire lasted 140 years.
(22) Like the mauryans where did the Guptas base their state?
Magadha
(22) What was India like under Gupta rule?
- Less centralized
- Divided empire made up of units
- Governed through local rulers in distant areas
- Local rulers had to pay tribute
(22) what group of nomadic people contributed to the decline of the Gupta?
The Huns
(22) how many soldiers were in the Mauryan army
Around 60,000 (plus chariots and war elephants)
(8) What was the significance of the iron industry?
- crafted fine utensils for both domestic and military purposes.
- Ex: pots, stoves, knives, axes, hammers, needles, and others.
(8) Why was textile production important?
- sericulture: silk
- prized commodity in China, India, Persia, Mesopotamia
- silk roads
(8) What were some economic problems the Han faced?
- military adventures and Asian policy creates economic strain.
- raised taxes, confiscated land, and took personal land away.
- poor harvests lead to surplus issues
- land distribution problems
How did peasants benefit the Byzantine empire?
They were allowed small plots of land and were happy to be free, so they farmed and helped supply the empire with food, and crops for export and trade in return for the land and a free life.
Who were the biggest enemies of the Byzantine people?
Islamic conquerers were the biggest threat to the people because they always threatened to try and take over the empire, so the Byzantines tried as hard as possible to keep them out of the empire and it’s capital.
What half of Christianity were the Byzantine empire modeled after?
The Eastern half, they became the Eastern Christian church
Why was Constantinople so important?
Because it was huge, it was the backbone of the Byzantine people and in fact the biggest and most important city of the whole empire. It became the capital.
What people did the Byzantine empire make good relations with?
The Russian Slavs, they maintained a good trade economy and eventually the Slavs helped out the empire by defending the empire from the Islamic conquerers.
