Iran, India And Inner Asia To 200 C.e.

Front 1

What is the significance to world history of Iran, India, and Inner Asia up until 200 C.E.?

Back 1

Three major themes: 1) the rise of centralized empires on a new and unprecedented scale, 2) the increasing contact and interaction of major civilizations, and 3) the rise, spread and consolidation of major religious traditions that would have considerable effect on later history from Africa to China. The two most prominent peoples of the Iranian plateau were the Medes and Persians, who trace their ancestry back to the Vedic Age Indo-Aryans of north India. The Medes developed a tribal confederacy in western Iran that defeated the mighty Assyrian Empire in the late 7th century B.C.E. The rise of Persian power in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C.E., under the leadership of Cyrus the Great, led to the founding of the Achaemenid Empire. Yet, the first person who stands out in Iranian history was not Cyrus, but Zarathustra, the great prophet reformer of Iranian religion. He is commonly known by the Greek version of his name, Zoroaster.

-the creation of the first Indian empire under the Mauryans

-the consolidations of Indian cultural and religious traditions

Front 2

Ancient Background

Back 2

# Identify the peoples who settled in ancient Iran
# Describe the founding and major beliefs of Zoroastrianism
# Discuss the influence of Zoroastrianism on other world religions

Front 3

The two most significant groups of early settlers in Iran were the _______ and the Persians.

Back 3

Medes

Front 4

The first person who stands out in Iranian history was Cyrus, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.

Back 4

False. It was Zarathustra, commonly known in the west as Zoroaster, the great prophet-reformer of Iranian religion.

Front 5

Zoroaster preached a message similar to all of the following except

Buddha.
Democritus.
the Hebrew prophets.
Confucius.

Back 5

Democritus.

Front 6

Zoroaster called on people to:

abandon worship of Ahura Mazda.

Turn from the "Lie" (druj) to the "Truth" (asha).

destroy the priestly clan known as the Magi.

All of the above.

Back 6

Turn from the "Lie" (druj) to the "Truth" (asha).

Front 7

The Zoroastrian tradition continues today in the religious practices of roughly 100,000 ________

Back 7

Parsis (possibly Farsis?) living mostly in western India.

Front 8

The supreme being, or “Wise Lord,” in Zoroastrianism is known as “the hurrying Mazda.”

Back 8

False. It was Ahura Mazda.

Front 9

The most important holy book to a Zoroastrian is the Aveda.

Back 9

True.

Front 10

What was The First Iranian Empire (550-330 B.C.E.)?

Back 10

The Achaemenid Empire, joining Mesopotamia and Iran for the first time.

Goals:
# Explain the two strands of modern Iran’s heritage
# Outline the achievements of Cyrus the Great
# Describe the government and economy of the Achaemenids

Front 11

Modern Iran’s heritage includes:

Iranian Islamic culture and an older, Indo-Iranian, Zoroastrian, imperial culture

Iranian Hindu culture and an older, Indo-Iranian, Zoroastrian, Brahman culture

Iranian Islamic culture and an older, Indo-Iranian, Judaic, democratic culture

Iranian Confucian culture and an older, Indo-Iranian, Christian, imperial culture

Back 11

Iranian Islamic culture and an older, Indo-Iranian, Zoroastrian, imperial culture

Front 12

Achaemenid rule ended with Alexander the Great.

Back 12

T

Front 13

Much of the Achaemenid success in confronting the problems of empire was due to their:

Willingness to learn and borrow from predecessors.

military despotism.

tribal confederation.

forced conversion to the state religious cult.

Back 13

Willingness to learn and borrow from predecessors.

Front 14

The Achaemenid Empire had a weak and ineffectual administrative system.

Back 14

F

Front 15

The normal occupation of free men in the Achaemenid Empire was______.

Back 15

agriculture

Front 16

Only luxury goods were traded over long distances in Acheamenid times.

Back 16

F

Front 17

How did the Achaemenid state remain in power for a long period of time? Which government policies and institutions fostered this political stability? What was the role of religion in this development?

Back 17

Questions to ponder.

Front 18

Points about the First Indian Empire

Back 18

# Describe the emergence of the Mauryan empire in India
# Identify Ashoka and other significant Mauryan rulers
# Summarize Mauryan achievements

Front 19

The Mauryans established the first Indian empire from their power base in the south of the subcontinent.

Back 19

False. It was in the north.

Front 20

King Bimbisara emphasized:

good roads, able administrators, and fair agricultural taxes.

good roads, able administrators, and support for the arts.

good roads, able administrators, and strong cities.

good roads, able administrators, and strong priests.

Back 20

good roads, able administrators, and fair agricultural taxes.

Front 21

After around 300 B.C.E., contact between the Mauryans and the Seleucids was minimal.

Back 21

False. There was much Seleucid-Mauryan contact after a treaty in 303 BCE

Front 22

Chandragupta’s minister Kautilya is sometimes referred to as the “Indian __________.”

Back 22

Machiavelli

Front 23

The third Mauryan emperor, Ashoka, did all of the following except:

Consolidate Mauryan control of all of India except for the extreme south.
Impose Buddhism as an official faith.
Avoid the use of violence.
Establish public welfare programs.

Back 23

Impose Buddhism as an official faith.

Front 24

The fundamental unit of government in the Mauryan state was the village.

Back 24

T

Front 25

Mauryan bureaucracy was marked by:

Efficient long-distance communications.
Centralization.
A secret service.
All of these.

Back 25

All of these.

Front 26

Points to remember regarding the Consolidation of Indian Civilization (about 200 BCE to 300 CE)

Back 26

# Comment on the influence of Buddhism on the culture of this period
# Identify elements that shaped the emerging Hindu tradition

Front 27

Members of the __________ class patronized Buddhist and Jain buildings.

Back 27

merchant

Front 28

Indian exports to China and the Roman empire included:

cotton, slaves, ships, and pottery.
cotton, paper, ships, and livestock.
jewels, paper, teak, and livestock.
jewels, exotic woods, spices, and slaves.

Back 28

jewels, exotic woods, spices, and slaves.

Front 29

Classical Indian art incorporates elements of Hellenistic naturalism and Indian Buddha images.

Back 29

T

Front 30

Two masterpieces of Sanskrit culture around 200 C.E. were:

Arthashastra and Shahanshah.
Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Asha and Gathas.
Shiva and Vishnu.

Back 30

Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Front 31

A primary reason that Buddhism remained only one among many Indian religious paths was:

That lay people could not spend the time trying to attain nirvana, as could Buddhist monks.
That Buddhist saints were never identified with popular Indian deities.
That it was absorbed into the diversity that typified the Hindu religious scene.
The fact that most people could not read the Buddhist religious tracts.

Back 31

That it was absorbed into the diversity that typified the Hindu religious scene.

Front 32

Points to remember about the Seleucids

Back 32

# Identify continuities and differences between Alexander the Great’s policies and Seleucid rule.
# Outline cultural shifts that occurred under the Seleucids.

Front 33

Alexander the Great’s successor in Achaemenid lands was the Greek general _________.

Back 33

Seleucus

Front 34

Alexander the Great’s policies of Graeco-Persian fusion contributed to the demise of Seleucid rule.

Back 34

F. It enhanced it.

Front 35

Intermarriage between Greeks and Persians was common.

Back 35

T

Front 36

The Seleucids relied on ________ troops.

Back 36

mercenary

Front 37

Hellenization was facilitated by:

the Seleucid elites’ respect for Hellenistic culture and laws.
the construction of Greek-style cities.
the widespread use of Aramaic.
All of these.

Back 37

All of these.

Front 38

An emphasis on individual salvation would probably appeal to residents of Hellenistic urban centers.

Back 38

T

Front 39

The farthest reach of Hellenization in the East came under the Indo-Greeks.

Back 39

T

Front 40

“Graeco-Bactrians” is another term for ________

Back 40

Indo-Greeks

Front 41

Euthydemus was conquered by Antiochus the Great, a Seleucid.

Back 41

False. He withstood the attempt at reconquest.

Front 42

Coins and inscriptions indicate that:

The Indo-Greeks were all Hindus.
The Indo-Greeks were Indian in their language, culture and religion.
Bactria was a cultural backwater.
the Indo-Greeks were atheists.

Back 42

The Indo-Greeks were Indian in their language, culture and religion.

Front 43

Insalata Fiorucci
F

Back 43

Garden salad mix, baby leaf, endive, arugula, and radicchio, tossed in vinaigrette, topped with warm caprino medallion rolled in hazelnuts, artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers and grilled eggplant

Front 44

Culturally, the Parthians were oriented toward the Hellenistic world until the mid-first century A.D., after which what revived?

Trade with China.
The Mauryan Empire.
Iranian art.
Roman sculpture.

Back 44

Iranian art.

Front 45

The Parthians tolerated religious plurality.

Back 45

T

Front 46

The Kushians were the major Eurasian power, along with Rome, from 53 C.E. until 233 C.E.

Back 46

F

Front 47

The Kushian Kingdom of India was one of four major centers of civilization in Eurasia around 100 C.E.

Back 47

T. The others were Rome, China, and the Parthian Empire of Iran.