Ancient%20Empires

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Ancient Empires

• An Introduction to Eight Imperial Civilizations
  of the Ancient World

An Introduction to Eight Imperial Civilizations
of the Ancient World
2
Overview

• The Evolution of Civilization
• Anthropology and Archaeology in Historical
  Analysis
• The Rise and Characteristics of Empires
• Cities and Technologies
• Timelines

3
The Evolution of Civilizations

• Definition Civilization
• a culture that builds cities and has achievements
  in art, literature, science, and
  technology
• Civilizations dont rise alone
• End product of evolution of culture within a
  geographic area

Rome 100 AD
4
Archaeology - Definition

• The study of human activity in the past,
  primarily through the recovery and analysis of
  the material culture and environmental data that
  they have left behind.

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Anthropology - Definition

• The study of humans, past and present, that draws
  and builds upon the knowledge from the social
  sciences and biological sciences as well as the
  humanities and natural sciences.

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The Importance of Archaeology

• Art of History
• Written records
• political, military, economic
• Bias toward rich powerful
• Science of Archaeology
• Adds accurate detail about daily life of ordinary
  people
• Changed modern view of history

Maya glyphs
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Key to History

• History is a gift
• Recreated in each generation
• Human mind has not changed in 200,000 years
• Evolution of homo sapiens is cultural
• Archaeology
• Takes time, money
• Started in Europe
• Heinrich Schliemann
• Wealthy German businessman
• Excavated Troy 1870s

Clovis Hunter
Heinrich Schliemann
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Archaeology and Anthropology

• Science of Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Cultural anthropology
• Linguistics
• Physical anthropology
• Cultural history
• Archaeologist is anthropologist
• Seeing society whole
• All social groups and functions
• more accurate, meaningful interpretation of
  ancient cultures

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Hunter-Gatherers

• Big game hunting
• Nomadic, migratory herds of land sea mammals
• Focus on one or two species
• First settlements
• River valleys on migration routes
• Extraction of unearned resources
• Energy from other biomes
• Larger families possible
• Archaic adaptation scheduled collecting of
  seasonal foods

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The Agricultural Revolution

• Developed in semi-arid areas adjacent to river
  valleys
• Need to store collected cereals
• Impact of agriculture
• Stored surplus food
• Geometric increase in population
• Dependence on nonfood resources
• Water, fuel, stone, metal, etc.
• Transportation trade
• Moving scarce resources between settled villages
• Urbanization, industrialization
• Overpopulation, overexploitation of resources,
  pollution

Chaco granary
French traders in a Huron village
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Phases of Cultural Development

• Hunting gathering
• Agriculture
• Domestic plants
• Domestic animals
• Towns Cities
• Population increase
• Urbanization
• Specialization
• Competition

Egyptian agriculture
Mesoamerican urban centres
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Life in the Ancient World

• Populations small
• Local farms, villages
• Little change over time
• Hard lives
• Unvaried foods
• No medical services
• Poor sanitation
• High infant mortality
• Simple joys
• Family and friends
• Games, songs, stories
• Faith

rice plowing
Seneb the Dwarf family 6th Dynasty Egypt
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Cultural Growth

• Theory of Diffusion
• Culture and technologies originate with one
  culture and are diffused by contact with other
  cultures.
• Theory of Correspondence
• All humans have same mental physical
  capabilities, thus invent similar culture and
  technology in similar environments

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Birthplace of Empires

• River valleys
• Life-giving
• Godlike
• Human innovations
• Development of crop species
• Irrigation systems
• Mesopotamia
• Calendars
• Nile Valley flooding

Nile farming
Egyptian scribe
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The Rise of Cities
Indus Valley Civilization

• Ecological richness of valley attracts people
• Cities
• Centre of richness
• Expanded areas of control
• Walled for protection
• Repelled invaders
• Attracted immigrants
• Emblems of Empire

Mohenjo Daro - walls and citadel
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The Rise of Empires

• Rich fertile valleys
• Examples Nile, Indus, Huang Ho
• Regional Cultures
• Centred around cities
• Shared trade, culture
• Military dominance leads to empire

Alexander the Great
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Imperial Cities

• Dense population
• Urbanization processes
• Cultural innovation
• Driven by
• Commerce
• Cultural interaction

The Agora - Athens
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The Elements of Empire

• Elements
• Peoples
• Goods
• Ideas
• Existence dynamism of elements depend on
• Movement
• Exchange

Longshan pottery
Egyptian mural - transporting the grain
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City As Symbol of Wealth

• Struggle for control of cities
• Richness ability to produce surplus goods and
  services
• agriculture
• pottery, metalworking
• commerce
• Supported
• nobility, administrative class, army
• Increased wealth, population by immigration

rice harrowing - China
First Emperors terracotta army
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Civilization to Empire

• City
• Agriculture means larger towns
• Specialized buildings, occupations
• City-State
• Metropolis and hinterland
• Interaction of towns and cities
• State
• Equality of cities e.g. Italy in Roman Republic
• Empire
• Subject states e.g. Aztec Empire

Imperial Italy
Aztec Empire
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Culture and Expansion

• The Stay-at-Homes
• China, Egypt, Maya
• Little knowledge of other empires beyond their
  boundaries
• The Expansionists
• Rome, Greece
• Pursuit of trade or conquest
• Limited by
• Natural obstacles
• Opposing forces

China - relief
Greek colonies
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The Polynesian Case

• Polynesian seafarers
• 3000 BC on
• Sailed and colonized Pacific
• Northwest Coast
• Easter Island
• No empire, colonies isolated
• The Record Factor
• Key is permanent records
• Written language
• Maps
• Example Greek knowledge of Mediterranean world

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Timelines
Timeline of Ancient Egypt

• Framework for understanding
• Time sequence of development of culture
• Marked by dynasties, technological progress
• Rise-and-fall image
• Spenglers view of history