The document discusses several classical civilizations and their declines, including the fall of the Han Dynasty in China due to disease, nomadic invaders, and a corrupt government; the fall of the Gupta Empire in India which was less disruptive due to the persistence of Hinduism and the caste system; and the fall of the Western Roman Empire due to military and economic issues which led to its division and invasion by Germanic tribes. It also briefly outlines other classical societies such as ancient Mesoamerica, Africa, Japan, and Polynesia.

1. Classical Civilizations
• What held these civilizations together?
• China – centralized politics, Confucian
hierarchy, Mandarin
• India – Hinduism and caste system
• Mediterranean – elite cultural achievements,
shared law, citizenship, military (vulnerable)

2. Fall of the Han – c. 150 CE
• Why?
– Disease epidemics
– Decline of Confucianism, rise of Daoism
(Yellow turbans)
– Overburdened peasants and corrupt gov’t
– Decline in trade and prosperity
– Nomadic invaders from the north
– Followed by 300 years of chaos
– Medium strength collapse

3. Fall of Gupta – c. 500 CE
• Why?
– White Huns invade
– Regional princes ‘Rajput’ rule
– Threat of Islam beginning in the late 600s
– This fall was the least culturally disruptive
 Hinduism and the caste system
– Mild collapse

4. Fall of Rome – c. 476 CE
• Moral and government decay from 180 CE
• Economic, population, trade decline
• Disease epidemics
• Not enough soldiers – hired mercenaries
• Couldn’t expand anymore – no more slaves
or tribute
• Large farming estates

5. Fall of Rome – c. 476 CE
• Rome split into East and West by Emperor
Constantine
– East – Capital at Constantinople, Greek language
– West – Capital at Rome, Latin Language
• Western Rome invaded by Germanic tribes
• Europe falls apart – most dramatic collapse
• Eastern Rome survives - Byzantine Empire
• Emperor Justinian – Justinian Law Code
• Orthodox Christian Church

6. Classical Mesoamerica
• Grew maize, beans, squash
• Olmecs (1200-400 BCE)
– Central Mexico
– Teotihuacan – city of successors (Toltecs)
• Maya (300 BCE–900 CE)
– Yucatan Peninsula
– Polytheistic; Legend of Quetzalcoatl
– Pyramids
– Writing, zero, astronomy, calendar
– Small city-states fought each other
– Prisoners sacrificed or enslaved

7. Civilization in Africa
• Agriculture, Livestock, and Iron
– Horses, Camel from Asia
– Tsetse fly - attacks horses and cattle
– No bronze age
 Stone to iron
• The Bantu Dispersal
– Bring agriculture and iron
– From Nigeria throughout continent by 1200 C.E.
– Culture - united by kinship

8. Bantu Migrations

10. Africa, Civilization, and the Wider
World
• Axum: A Christian Kingdom
– Urban center
– Ge'ez - writing system
– Used Arabic script
– Controlled Red Sea trade
– c. 350 C.E., King Ezana converts to Christianity

11. Golden Ghana: A Trading State
• Savanna peoples
– Trade intermediaries
– Salt for gold; gold for textiles, finished goods
• Trade leads to state formation
– Gao, Ghana

12. Indo-Europeans
• 2nd millennium B.C.E.
• North of the Black and Caspian seas
• Included the Hittites, Hyksos, and Hsiung-
nu (Huns)
• Attack Chinese and Roman territories
• Destroy the Gupta

13. The Celts and Germans
• Celts
– Ireland to Russia
– Culture
 Small kingdoms
 Warrior elite
 Pastoralism, agriculture
 No cities, writing
 Oral literature
 Animistic religion

14. East Asia at the End of the
Classical Period

15. Japan
• Mountainous islands
• Indigenous Culture and Society
– Shintoism – worship of political rulers and
spirits of nature (esp. rice)
– Society
 Clans
 90% peasants
• Politically independent of China
– Cultural borrowings

16. Societies of Polynesia
• Australia, New Guinea settled
• Polynesia settled
– Hawaii
• New Zealand – Maori people
• Common culture with differences
• Double canoes, triangular sails (pahi)

17. The Spread of Polynesian
Peoples