Ancient world Unit 6 Shrinking the Afro-Eurasian World Master Quizlet

Bactria (definition)

Hellenistic kingdom in Gandhara region that became an independent state around 200 BCE, with a major city at Aï Khanoum. Its people and culture are sometimes called "Indo-Greek" because of the blending of Indian and Greek populations and ideas.

Bodhisattvas (definition)

In Mahayana Buddhism, enlightened beings who have earned nirvana but remain in this world to help others reach it.

Caravan cities (definition)

Cities (like Petra and Palmyra) that were located along land routes of the Silk Roads and served as hubs of commerce and cultural exchange between travelers and merchants participating in long-distance trade.

Cosmopolitans (definition)

Meaning "citizens of the world," as opposed to a city-state, this term refers particularly to inhabitants of the large, multiethnic cities that were nodes of exchange in the Hellenistic world.

Gandharan style (definition)

Style of artwork, especially statuary, originating in the Gandharan region of modern Pakistan, that blends Hellenistic artistic influences with Buddhist stylistic features and subjects.

Hellenism (definition)

Process by which the individuality of the cultures of the earlier Greek city-states gave way to a uniform culture that stressed the common identity of all who embraced Greek ways. Emphasized common language, style, and politics, where anyone could access it.

Koine Greek (definition)

Simpler than regional versions of Greek, such as Attic or Ionic, this "common Greek" dialect became an international language across the regions influenced by Hellenism and facilitated trade of goods and ideas.

Mahayana Buddhism (definition)

"Great Vehicle" Buddhism; an accessible form of Buddhism that spread along the Silk Roads and included in its theology a divine Buddha as well as bodhisattvas.

Mauryan Empire (definition)

The first large-scale empire in South Asia, begun by Chandragupta Maurya, in the aftermath of Alexander's time in India, and expanded to its greatest extent by his grandson Aśoka.

Periplus (definition)

"Sailing around" manual that preserved firsthand knowledge of navigation strategies and trading advice.

Silk Roads (definition)

More than 5,000 miles of trade routes linking China, central Asia, and the Mediterranean. They were named for the silk famously traded along their land and sea routes, although ideas, people, and many other high-value commodities also moved along their lengths.

How did his parents prepare Alexander for kingship?

They hired the philosopher Aristotle to teach him academic subjects, politics, sports, and warfare.

What was Alexander's opinion of himself?

He thought very highly of himself and grew a belief that he was a god.

What gave Alexander the chance to lead the attack to conquer Persia?

Phillip (Alexander's dad) was assassinated, and Alexander inherited his father's kingdom and set out to conquer Persia.

How was Alexander successful in his path to conquer Persia?

He used his disciplined infantry in bold ways and fought his way through lands controlled by Persia to Mesopotamia. The Persian king, Darius, was killed in battle aftermath and Alexander replaced him.

Was Alexander satisfied with his expanded empire after conquering Persia?

No, he pushed eastward and fought battles and established garrison towns. More than once, Alexander was at the front of an attack.

What stopped Alexander from conquering?

His army refused to go further.

How did Alexander try to unify his empire?

He took Darius's daughter as a wife and ordered his officers to marry Persian women.

How did Alexander's push to expand catch up to him?

He suffered severe wounds that weakened his health. In June of 323 BCE, after heavy feasting and drinking, Alexander fell sick.

How was his land split up after Alexander died?

He had not named an heir, so after much fighting, his generals split up the land. Soon, it began to fall into pieces.

What happened 300 years after Alexander's death?

Julius Caesar was on a campaign in Spain, and is said to have wept when spotting a statue of Alexander, overcome by the thought that Alexander had achieved so much at a young age.

What symbol did the Indian people choose for their flag?

The Asoka Chakra

What did the circular hub of the Asoka Chakra represent?

permanence of truth, the belief that while change is necessary, we must never lose belief in what is forever true.

What did the 24 spokes represent in the Asoka Chakra?

They stand for the hours in the day and the fact that life is ever-changing.

What did Alexander's troops do as they conquered along the Meditteranean?

They took wives from conquered cities and tribes and became a swarm of ethnically mixed families.

Why did Alexander the Great's troops want to leave him?

They had lost companions and were weary of war. They later threatened to desert him at Opis.

How did Alexander convince his troops to stay?

He evoked the astounding military triumphs and historic achievements they had accomplished: establishing his rule from Macedonia to the Indus Valley.

What was developing at the same time Alexander was expanding eastward?

The Silk Roads were forming, as well as exchange routes by sea.

What two broad cultural movements developed as a result of Alexander's conquest?

Hellenism and Buddhism.

What did Buddhism and Hellenism do?

They linked diverse populations across wide expanses of the Afro-Eurasian landmass.

What facilitated the spread of Hellenistic influences and Buddhist ideas?

New empires—namely Alexander's successor states of the Mediterranean and the Mauryan Empire in South Asia—and newly deepening trade routes.

What laid the foundation for widespread cultural systems?

Imperial conquest and long-distance trade. The cultural systems were far more enduring than the empires themselves.

What did merchants, monks, and administrators do during the period of widespread cultural systems?

They helped connect widespread parts of Afro-Eurasia, as the busy sea-lanes and Silk Roads flourished.

How was Asoka the founding father of India as a warrior?

He conquered valuable territory that remains part of India today.

How was Asoka the founding father of India, as a ruler?

He introduced a form of government based in Buddhist spiritual belief.

As prince of the Mauryan Empire, how did Asoka lead his life?

He lead a lavish lifestyle, enjoying expensive horses and great feasts, but also had a serious side and was known to be interested in nature and spiritual matters.

How did Asoka extend his territory as ruler of the Mauryan empire?

He conquered the region of Kalinga on the southeast coast of India.

What happened after Asoka's conquer of Kalinga?

He felt extreme remorse at the aggressive fighting he witnessed, and continued his spiritual transformation.

What did Asoka do to spread the beliefs of Buddhism?

He sent missionaries to other lands and carved royal messages on numerous stone monuments that became edicts.

How did the edicts make sure that Asoka's subjects could understand principles that guided his rule?

They were carved in multiple languages.

What did Indians think of Asoka and his legacy?

To them, Asoka was a warrior and ruler beyond any in their history.

Why was the land of kalinga at a disadvantage when being conquered by Asoka?

They were surround by Asoka's empire, and had only an exit by water.

What did Asoka seek after he conquered Kalinga and felt bad?

He sought a guru, a teacher.

What happened when he found a Buddhist monk by the riverbank?

The monk asked him to sit beneath the Bodhi tree where the buddha had found enlightenment.

What did Asoka do while he was at the Bodhi tree?

He consulted with local communities about proper governance, about good conduct, and gave rich gifts to the poor.

What was forming in Asoka's mind during his visit by the riverbank?

a plitical order the sort of which has never ben conceived of before in the history of the world.

What did Asoak devote himself to after his spiritual transformation?

He devoted himself to the spread of Buddha;s teachings, to righteousness and goodwill, and to public works fo the good of the people.

What were reasons Asoka might have been an elightened ruler?

he believed everyone should be forgiven as far as possible, he was devoted to a life of nonviolence, and he spread teachings of righteousness and good will.

What was the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism?

The right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right view, and right intention.

What were the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism?

1. All life is impermanent, imperfect, and involves suffering

2. The casue of suffering is desire: the craving for things to be a certain way

3. Suffering can be neded by detaching oneself from desire

4. The way to stop desire is to follor the Noble Eigtfold Path.

Where is Mahāyāna Buddhism the strongest?

Tibet, Chia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.

Is Mahāyāna Buddhism a signle group?

No, it is a collection of buddhist traditions: Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism.

What do Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism have in common?

They are both rooted in the basic teachings of the historical Buddha, and they both emphasize the individual search for liberation from the cycle of samsara.

What is the cycle of samsara in Buddhism?

It is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma and ignorance.

What is the Bodhisattva path?

It is a deep wish for all beings, no matter who they are, to be liberated from suffering.

What is the Bodhisattva Vow?

However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them.

However inexhaustible the defilements are, I vow to extinguish them

However immeasurable the charmas are, I vow to master them

However incomparable enlightenment is, I vow to attain it.

What are three types of Bodhisattva?

The king, the shepherd, and the ship's captain.

What did the each type of Bodhisattva believe (King) ?

I will become enlightened and then lead and help others toward enligtenment"

What did the each type of Bodhisattva believe (Shepherd) ?

I will guide everyone toward enlightenment and only then seek it for myself"

What did the each type of Bodhisattva believe (Ship's Captain) ?

'I will carry other's with me so that we may become enlightened together"

What are the Trikaya, three bodies of the Buddha?

Dharmakaya: The Buddha is the same thing as ultimate truth ( transcendent )

Sambhogakaya: The buddha's body of bliss, or enjoyment body.

Nirmanakaya: The buddha's earthly body- just like any other human being's body

Where is Theravāda Buddhism the strongest?

Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Burma.

What does Theravāda mean?

The doctrine of the elders'- the elders being the senior Buddhist monks.

What does Theravāda Buddhism believe?

They have remained the closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. The Mahāyāna Buddhism followers referred to Theravāda as the "lesser vehicle"

What were the beliefs of the Supernatural in Theravāda Buddhism?

Buddhism does not offer supernatural solutions to spiritual problems of human beings. The basis of all forms of Buddhism is to use meditation to reach enlightenment.

What were the beliefs of God in Theravāda Buddhism?

There is no creator God in buddhism. God existed as various types of spiritual beings with limited powers.

What were the beliefs of the Buddha in Theravāda Buddhism?

Siddhartha Gautama was a man who became Buddha, the Awakened One- like the way Jesus became Christ.

What were the beliefs of the Path to Enlightenment in Theravāda Buddhism?

Each being has to make their own path to enlightenment without the help of God or gods.

What is Theravāda life like?

Emphasizes attaining self-liberation through one's own efforts. Meditation and concentration are key. The ideal road is to dedicate oneself to full time monastic life.

What is a follower of Theravāda Buddhism expected to do?

'abstain from all kinds of evil, to accumulate all that is good and to purify the mind."

What is the monastic community of Theravāda Buddhism?

Made up of Theravāda monks and as a whole, the community is called sangha.

What are the Five percepts that monks and nuns follow during their training of the monastic order?

1. refrain from harming living beings

2. Refrain from taking that which is not freely given

3. Refrain from sexual misconduct

4 Refrain from wrong speech; such as lying, idle chatter, malicious gossip or harsh speech

5. Refrain from intoxicating drink and drugs which lead to carelessness.

What was the broad agreement of the Han people's 4 major theological, cosmological, and moral principles?

Tian (Heaven and T'ien ming ( Mandate of Heaven), Te (virtue), Li (Propriety), and Jinguzu (Ancestor veneration).

What was a big part of the success of the Silk Roads?

The domestication of the camel, an animal that could carry heavy loads over long distances while little water.

What were the 4 stable empires who's growth helped reunite trade and keep the SIlk Roads running?

The Han, The Kushan, The Partian, and The Roman.

What did the Han dynasty want to trade for silk?

They wanted magnificant horses from Ferghana in central Asia. To protect this trade, the hand cracked down on bandits who preyed on Silk Road travelers.

What did The Kushan empire do for the Silk Road?

They established themselves as a kind of toll booth that collected taxes on goods moving back and forth between China and points West.

What did the Parthian empire do to for the Silk Road?

They became skilled middleman, buying up goods flowing into their country and reselling them ay a higher price to traders whp carried them further along the Silk Road.

What did the Roman Empire do for the Silk Road?

They controlled much of the land that rimmed the Mediterranean Sea. As the empire got richer, the Romans demanded more and more luxury goods.

What soon caused an end to much of the Silk road overland trade?

Exploration and new sea routes.

What were the caves in Dunhuang on the Silk Road used for?

Storage vaults for the many items brought to Dunhuang by Silk Road travelers.

What guided traverls through the Talimakan desert?

The bones pof men and beast and camel droppings.

What caused Silk Road travelers to get lost in the Talimakan desert?

They would hear sounds of singing or wailing, and would get lost trying to investigate the sound.

How was Marakanda a prosperous city?

They had rich and productive soil and abundant harvests, forest trees that were filled with fruit and flowers, and horses.

What were the luxury goods traded on the Silk Road

China's silk, tea, porcelain, paper, and bronze products, along with Indian spices, as well as tree seeds.

How did Alexander undermine barriers that seperated the mediterranean world from the rest of Southeast Asia?

He commanded a highly mobile force armed with advanced military technologies developed during the warfare among Greek city-states in 400 BCE and 500 BCE, and used these kinds of armed forces in a series of lightning attacks on the Persian Empire.

What happened to Macedonia under Philip's rule?

He had unified Macedonia and gone to conquer neighboring states. Macedonia boasted gold mines that could finance Philip's new military technology and his disciplined army.

What did Phillip's troops include?

They included heavily armored infantry that maneuvered in closely arrayed units called phalanxes as well as in large-scale cavalry formations for shock tactics.

How were Phillip's forces funded?

They were supported by income not only from Macedonian gold mines but also from the slave trade that passed through Macedonia.

What lead Alexander on his campaign of conquest?

The desire to avenge the Persian invasion of Thrace and the murder of his father, Philip II, and the influence of his mother, Olympias.

How did his mother Olympias advocate for his son's legacy?

While he was alive, she may have helped secure Alexander's succession by ordering his rivals killed. Once he died, she advanced the claim of Alexander's son to the throne of Macedonia.

How was Alexander so successful?

He owed much of his success to a readiness to take risks, repeatedly taking his enemies by surprise.

What did the Persian army look like on the battlefield in 331 BCE in Guagamela?

The Persian forces were assembled forces that greatly outnumbered Alexander's forces even after suffering a loss to him.

On the battlefield of Guagemala, what were Alexander's forces superior in?

While the Persians had virtually unlimited financial resources, Alexander's forces were superior in technique, maneuverability, and resourcefulness.

What happened to Persian lands after Alexander's death?

His military campaigns continued a process that the Persians had already set in motion of breaking down barriers that had separated peoples on the eastern and western ends of Afro-Eurasia.

What did Alexander see himself as?

The conqueror saw himself as a new universal figure, a bridge connecting distant cultures.

How did Alexander demonstrate his vision of himself after the Persian empire conquest?

He demonstrated this vision in his adoption of Persian dress and customs. He married many Persian women and married off many Persian women to his companions, even if they already had wives.

What did Alexander's conquests do?

They increased exposure of formerly Persian lands to the commodities of the Mediterranean and to cultural ideas associated with the Greek city-states. Alexander also founded dozens of new cities named after himself

What did Alexander do with the wealth the Persian kings had?

He dispersed it into the money economies of the Mediterranean city-states. This massive redistribution of wealth fueled a widespread economic expansion in the Mediterranean and beyond.

What did Alexander's successors think of themselves as?

They thought of themselves not as citizens of a Greek city-state but rather as absolute rulers over large blocks of territory, modeling themselves on the regional rulers they had defeated.