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Summary

Around 1200 BCE, changes began to occur in the Afro-Eurasian world that can be attributed to both technological innovation and the coming of invaders, commonly called the Sea People. In Assyria, the rule of the Middle Assyrian Empire, which rose out of the ashes of the Mitanni Empire, continued throughout the twelfth century. The period after 1050 BCE is often called the Dark Ages in Near Eastern history, mainly because the dearth of records leaves the period rather dark for historians. Urartu was a largely highland kingdom that controlled the mountain passes and trade routes on the eastern Taurus region. In the late eighth century, however, a series of conqueror-builder kings took Assyria to the height of its power and ushered in the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Nebuchadnezzar II was the longest ruling and strongest of Chaldean rulers of Babylonia. Nebuchadnezzar's reign, in short, constitutes the brief glorious period of the already brief Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Summary

This chapter outlines phases and developments conventionally regarded as mainstream in the foundation of civilization in mainland South Asia. The period from 500 to 300 BCE represents the onset of the early historic period in South Asia for which we have plentiful literary and archaeological evidence. The period from 300 to 900 CE has relatively recently been christened the early medieval period in South Asian history. 'Indian feudalism', a model of political and economic decentralization that was patterned closely on classical European developments. The process of Gupta expansion peaked under Chandragupta II who conquered western India as well and probably founded his capital city in Ujjayini. Buddhism also flourished during the Gupta period, notably at centres like Nalanda that emerged as a great monastery and university. It is in the Gupta period that a miracle of metallurgical technology, the Iron Pillar that stands at Delhi, was forged.

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19 - Regional study: Pataliputra

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18 - South Asia

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More than Real: A History of the Imagination in South India. By David Shulman. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2012. Pp. 326. ISBN 10: 0674059913; ISBN 13: 978-0674059917.

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3 results

19 - Regional study: Pataliputra

Summary

18 - South Asia

Summary

More than Real: A History of the Imagination in South India. By David Shulman. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2012. Pp. 326. ISBN 10: 0674059913; ISBN 13: 978-0674059917.