Comparison of Classical Civilizations: Persia, Greco-Roman Civilization, India and China - Term Paper Example

Compare ical Civilizations: Persia. Greco-Roman Civilization, India and China. Also mention some important ideas of sages during the “Axial Age.” The term “axial age” refers to a period in human history from about 800 to about 200 BCE which many historians have identified as being of pivotal importance. It could be said that it is a turning point between an older age and a newer age, and many important developments took place in this relatively short space of time. Four major civilizations were at their peak in this time: Persia, the Greco-Roman Civilization, India and China. This paper examines the environmental, economic, socio-political cultural attributes of these four major civilizations and compares them in order to highlight similarities and differences which impacted on their development in this critical period in human history. In conclusion there is a reflection on the key ideas of the sages which emerged out of these four contexts, showing how each civilization developed its own intellectual tradition which continues to exercise an influence even down to the present day. The earliest civilizations had emerged in the major river deltas of the world, taking advantage of the abundant resources there, and building up great cities which depended on agriculture rather than the older nomadic hunter-gatherer culture. This means that by the time of the axial age there was much more emphasis on stability, and the accumulation of material wealth both through increasingly sophisticated technologies and through widespread trading links with each other. The four major civilizations enjoyed wide territories and a good mix of different tribes and nations, each with their own specializations. The Persians were located in a mid-point between the technologically advanced of the Greco-Roman world and the exotic trading resources of the Chinese. This meant that they were well placed to absorb the ideas which passed back and forth with the traders. One of the earliest of all human literary works came from this part of the world, namely the Epic of Gilgamesh1 which tells the tale of two noble half-brothers, both of them something between gods and men. This story of great battles and the burden of kingship in an uncertain world of natural disasters, and unpredictable divine interference shows that the people of the early Mesopotamian region reflected deeply on matters of social order and politics. The heroes on their travels meet various challenges with great courage and in solving many problems they demonstrate a confidence in human endeavour that exemplifies their entrepreneurial home culture. The close proximity of many people in one place caused a need for ways of organizing life into an orderly system. It is not surprising therefore that many thousands of miles to the East, the Chinese civilization was grappling with the same ideas. Confucian and Daoist writings dealt with such important themes as “How to be a Good Ruler” and “The Wise Judge.” 2 It was in China that paper currency developed, along with the manufacture and coloring of silk, which was a much sought after trade good across all of the axial age civilizations. The Greco Roman civilization to the West was altogether more focussed on war, and their military expertise ensured that they could exploit a wide network of colonized lands to enrich their main cities. Greek poetry such as Homer’s Iliad3 is widely recognized as another classic of world literature, and its depiction of epic battles inspires modern films and books even today. Another side to Greek civilization was its commitment to philosophy, and through this also science and politics via the works of Plato, Aristotle and others. The Greek scholars developed the art of logical thinking, and sought to understand the world through observation and deduction, which is one of the underpinnings of modern science. Although inferior to the Greek culture in terms of literature and pure science, the Romans adopted many Greek ideas and expanded them particularly in matters of legal theory and education through writers such as Polybius and Cicero. Greek and Roman writers considered the pursuit of goodness and virtue as the proper goal of life, and they encouraged wealthier children in learning all the liberal arts so that they could take up their proper role as citizens. Being a citizen of these civilizations was considered as a great privilege but it entailed also some duties, like participating in local government, and this was an important preparation for what we would nowadays recognise as democracy. Many Greek and Roman ideas were subsumed later into Christian cultures, although the idea of monotheism came from the Jewish culture on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean. In India the caste system emerged as a way to keep order between people and the lawbooks in this civilization focus on a strictly hierarchical division of status. This in turn provided the basis for the Hindu way of life that still prevails in large parts of the Indian sub- continent. The writing of the Kamasutra celebrated male and female sexual relations while on the spiritual side Buddhism promotes an ascetic lifestyle and a reverence for all living things. Buddhist sculptures on the top and on the surface of the Gateway at Sanchi4 depict the gods, animals and human beings as part of a world which consists of different realms, earthly and heavenly, each of which can be reached through these symbolic gateways. Modesty and gentleness are the virtues most prized by Buddhists, and there is a focus on spiritual values, with earthly treasures being regarded as chains that hold people back. Both Buddhist and Chinese civilizations stress the importance of self-control and modesty, expecting people to largely govern themselves. The Chinese and Persians developed complex administrative systems to deal with trade and taxes. All four of the civilizations of the Axial age made major contributions to human knowledge, but it is especially in the exchange of ideas between distant corners of the world that the greatest advances were made. When the different perspectives mingled, then the best of them could be distilled out and this is what historians think of when they stress the importance of the axial age. References Sherman, Dennis. World Civilizations: Sources, Images and Interpretations. Volume 1. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. Read More