India - truth alone triumphs

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Gupta Dynasty Re-Unites India (Classical
India)375-550 CE

• OVERVIEW
• Chandra Gupta founded it
• Peaceful
• great traders
• strong art, science and mathematics
• Hinduism dominated
• The Gupta have strong central govt which allowed
  a degree of local control

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Politics

• Chandra Gupta (320-335 AD)?
• Alliances Conquest
• Consolidated Power Territory
• Drove out the Kushans
• Samudra Gupta (335-375 AD)?
• Chandra Gupta II (375-415 AD)?
• Decentralization
• Peace Prosperity (Faxian)?

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Chandra Gupta I (reigned AD 320-c. 330),

• Pataliputra Mauryan capital magnificent
  palaces, temples, parks
• Path to Power
• Increased the power and territory of his regional
  kingdom by marrying Princess Kumaradevi whose
  family controlled northern India/Nepal.
• Other N. Indian territories joined this alliance
  for protection and trade as his power grew

Kumardevi and Chandragupta I335-370 ce Gold
Dinar
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Samudra Gupta (son of Chandra)

• launched wars of conquest across N. India
• Built a larger Gupta empire
• Wealth came from many mines owned by govt

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Gupta Economy

• owned gold mines, silver mines, and vast lands.
• rent money from farmers funded government (govt
  owned the land)
• Silk Road served Gupta, Han, Rome and Persia
  Dynasties
• Indian merchants shipped ivory, jewels, and
  textiles, salt and iron
• The Romans traded glass, jewels, and clothes.
• Chinese merchants traded silk, spices, tea, and
  porcelain.
• The Gupta Empire profited greatly from religious
  trade and religious pilgrims.

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Gupta social life

• VERY wealthy civilization
• enjoyed gardens, music, and daily bathing
• ate lots of variety rice, bread, fish, milk,
  fruits and juices.
• slave labor
• Hinduism became more organized temples became
  more important.
• Women lost rights compared to under Buddhism
• Child marriage became common for girls
• HINDUSIM returns as dominant religion

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Gupta Math/Science

• Invented numbers 1-9, decimal system, pi
• Zero invented by Aryabata
• Charted planets and star movements
• recognized the Earth is round and rotates on its
  axis and revolves around sun.
• Indian physicians excelled in medicines,
  caesarean section, bone setting, and skin
  grafting, smallpox vaccination

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Gupta Buddhist Art

• AJANTA CAVES
• depict the stories of Buddhism spanning from the
  period from 200 bce to 650 ce.

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AJANTA CAVES
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• During the 4th century c.e.
• Buddhist monasteries and prayer halls.
• twenty-nine caves
• adorned with elaborate painting and sculptures

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Ajanta Caves

• The Ajanta caves depict the stories of Buddhism
  spanning from the period from 200 bce to 650 ce.
• The 29 caves were built by Buddhist monks using
  simple tools like hammer chisel.
• The elaborate and exquisite sculptures and
  paintings depict stories from Jataka tales.
• The caves also house images of nymphs and
  princesses.

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the Sarnath Buddha
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Gupta Decline

• Later Gupta rulers lived extravagantly, which
  weakened the peoples loyalty.
• Guptas weakened by the expense of the War with
  White Huns and competing India kingdoms

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White Huns c. 500ce invade through Kyber Pass
and Ganges Valley

• destroyed cities and reduced Hindu temples to
  rubble.
• Feudal provinces declare independence when Gupta
  are destroyed
• India seperates into independent kingdoms.
• not unified again until the Muslims in the 11th
  century