Geographically, Western Europe is much closer to India than to China. Once people in the West learned how to use the unique spices available in India, trade between the two regions became just as strong as the silk trade. Westerners brought news of their discoveries and inventions to the empires of the East, and India shared their own. The conditions required for cultural diffusion existed for centuries, but how similar did the two regions become, even with such regular exposure?
Use the questions below to compare and contrast empires in India and Western Europe.
Classical Greece and Rome were fascinated by politics. They even developed entirely new systems of government. How does ancient India's approach to politics compare with the politics in Western empires?
- India was more interested in political diversity than in establishing centralized, standardized governments.
- Like China, India's political scene was controlled by the desire of leaders to build dynasties based on family lines.
- India and Rome both experimented with different systems of centralized government.
Even India's emperors were more interested in promoting cultural advances than in controlling political events and opinions.
Even India's emperors were more interested in promoting cultural advances than in controlling political events and opinions.
Even India's emperors were more interested in promoting cultural advances than in controlling political events and opinions.
Later in its history, the people of the Roman Empire were united by religion--specifically, Christianity. What role did religion play in ancient Indian empires?
- India, like China, was not very much affected by religion--it was not an important part of daily life.
- Like Christianity in the West, Hinduism in India was the one force that united all its citizens, regardless of caste or position.
- During India's classical period, religious differences between Hinduism and other religions threatened to split apart the empire.
During the Classical era, most Indians practiced Hinduism, although many held Buddhist beliefs as well.
During the Classical era, most Indians practiced Hinduism, although many held Buddhist beliefs as well.
During the Classical era, most Indians practiced Hinduism, although many held Buddhist beliefs as well.
During the Classical era, Greek and Roman thinkers made dramatic advances in their understanding of science and other areas of knowledge. What was the Classical era like for Indian intellectuals?
- India also made tremendous progress, especially in physical science, mathematics, and astronomy.
- India was more focused on the arts--wealth gained from the spice trade was spent building elaborate shrines.
- India became a center for scholars from the West and China to gather and share what they had learned or invented.
In India, as in Greece and Rome, intellectual progress was a major focus during the Classical period.
In India, as in Greece and Rome, intellectual progress was a major focus during the Classical period.
In India, as in Greece and Rome, intellectual progress was a major focus during the Classical period.
Classical civilizations in the West tended to become more stratified--more layered--once agriculture allowed for the division of labor into different roles. What was classical India like in terms of social stratification?
- There were only three layers in Indian society--rulers, wealthy lords or landowners, and peasants who farmed the land.
- Because of its caste system, India did not experience the social stratification that other cultures did; everyone was fairly equal in status.
- By the start of its Classical period, India's caste system was firmly in place, which means that Indian society was highly stratified.
India had a strict and complex caste system. How much status someone could have was based on the caste he or she was born into.
India had a strict and complex caste system. How much status someone could have was based on the caste he or she was born into.
India had a strict and complex caste system. How much status someone could have was based on the caste he or she was born into.
Summary
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