2.2.I How did the number & size of Classical empires compare to the Ancient Era? 2.2.I.A What were the most influential of the Classical Era empires? permitted excessive wealth to concentrate in the hands of privileged classes. The number and size of imperial societies grew dramatically by imposing political unity on areas where there had previously been competing states. NOTE: Students should know the location and names of the key states and empires below. • SW Asia: Persian Empires. (Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid) • East Asia: Qin and Han dynasties • South Asia: Maurya and Gupta Empires • Mediterranean region: Phoenician and Greek colonization, Hellenistic and Roman Empires • Mesoamerica: Teotihuacan, Maya city states • Andean South America: Moche 2.2.II What techniques did Classical empires create to administer their territories? 2.2.II.A What new political methods were created in order to rule the larger empires in the Classical Era? 2.2.II.B How did imperial governments let population know that the government was “in charge?” 2.2.II.C What role did trade play in creating and maintaining empires? Empires and states developed new techniques of imperial administration based, in part, on the success of earlier political forms. In order to organize their subjects the rulers created administrative institutions including centralized governments, elaborate legal systems, and bureaucracies. (China, Persia, Rome, South Asia) Imperial governments projected military over larger areas using a variety of techniques including: diplomacy; developing supply lines; building fortifications, defensive walls, and roads; and drawing new groups of military officers and soldiers from the local populations or conquered peoples. Much of the success of empires rested on their promotion of trade and economic integration by building and maintaining roads and issuing currencies. Imperial societies displayed unique social and economic dimensions. Much of the success of empires rested on promotion of trade and economic integration by building and maintaining roads and issuing currencies. • Classical Empires: Han, Rome, Greece / Alexander
Frontier security issues, including the threat of invasions (• between Han China and Xiongnu • Gupta and the White Huns • between Romans and their northern and eastern neighbors) eventually led to the decline, collapse and transformation of Classical Empires into successor empires or states. Key Concept 2.3 Emergence of Trans- regional Networks of Communication and Exchange Answer Concepts & Relevant Factual Examples in Underline “Factoids” 2.3. How did Classical era networks compare to Ancient era networks? What forces contributed to the changes between the two eras? What was commonly traded along these trade networks? 2.3.I How did trade & communication networks develop by 600 CE? 2.3.II What technologies enabled overland and maritime trade? 2.3.III Besides the physical goods, what intangibles also traveled along trade networks? Large-scale empires increased the volume of long-distance trade dramatically. Much of this trade resulted from the demand for raw materials and luxury goods. Many land and water routes linked most Eastern Hemisphere regions, while American networks developed later. NOTE: Students should know how the climate and location of the routes, the typical trade goods, and the ethnicity of people involved shaped the distinctive features of the following trade routes. • Eurasian Silk Roads • Trans-Saharan caravan routes • Indian Ocean sea lanes • EITHER Mediterranean sea lanes OR American trade routes The larger size of post-classical empires encouraged demand for “foreign” goods, as well as new technologies and the desire to spread universal religions. Examples of trade/exchange include: • people • technology • relig/cultural beliefs • food crops • domesticated animals • diseases • yokes • saddles • stirrups, all of which together permitted the use of domesticated pack animals. (horses, oxen, llamas or camels) Maritime technologies: • lateen sail • dhow ships • advanced knowledge of monsoon winds • changes in farming/irrigation techniques. (e.g. the qanat system)