Deck 10: Iran and South Asia, 200 C.E 1000 C.E

Question 1

By the third century C.E., the rising cultural and political powers of the world included all of the following empires except (Global Perspective, pp. 248-249)

A) Sasanid and Gupta.
B) Roman and Byzantine.
C) Nara and Heian.
D) Han, Sui, and Tang.

Answer 1

Roman and Byzantine.

Question 2

The capital of the Sasanid Empire was (Map 10-1, p. 254)

A) Ctesiphon.
B) Constantinople.
C) Baghdad.
D) Tehran.

Answer 2

Ctesiphon.

Question 3

In Sasanid society, there was

A) a great divide between a rich minority and an impoverished majority.
B) a taxation system for equalizing wealth.
C) little popular reaction to social imbalances.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Answer 3

a great divide between a rich minority and an impoverished majority.

Question 4

The basis of the Sasanid economy was

A) trade.
B) agriculture.
C) slavery.
D) mining.

Question 5

State monopolies of the Sasanid government included

A) silk.
B) cotton.
C) glass.
D) both silk and glass.

Question 6

The basis of Sasanid culture was

A) Greco-Roman rationalism and philosophy.
B) the return to Mesopotamian polytheism.
C) a revived version of Zoroastrianism.
D) secular humanism.

Question 7

During the Sasanid hegemony, Zoroastrian priests

A) increased their power.
B) controlled a large part of Iran's land.
C) became politicized.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 8

The chief opponents of Zoroastrian orthodoxy were

A) Nestorian Christians.
B) Jains.
C) followers of Islam.
D) Mazdakites.

Question 9

The "Golden Age" of Indian civilization was the

A) Maurya period.
B) Gupta period.
C) Pataliputra period.
D) Vishnu period.

Question 10

According to Map 10-2 (p. 255), Indian influence in southeast Asia spread to all of the following areas except

A) the eastern half of Sumatra.
B) the interior of Borneo.
C) the island of Bali.
D) the Malay peninsula.

Question 11

One of the most important indices of culture in the Gupta era was

A) a strong emphasis on education.
B) control of the military.
C) the spread of temple building.
D) the development of portraiture.

Question 12

Bhakti can best be translated as

A) "reincarnation."
B) "social caste."
C) "Supreme Lord."
D) "loving devotion."

Question 13

Dharma can best be translated as

A) "appropriate duties and responsibilities."
B) "fate."
C) "dietary regulations."
D) "caste."

Question 14

Brahman can best be translated as

A) "teacher."
B) "outcast."
C) "priest."
D) "warrior."

Question 15

A central trait of Hinduism during and after the Gupta dynasty was the

A) growth of animistic spirit worship.
B) growth of devotional cults to specific deities.
C) emergence of monotheism.
D) incorporation of Muslim theological concepts.

Question 16

Vedanta is the

A) "end of the Veda."
B) "river crossing" to the divine.
C) oldest Hindu manual of legal and ethical theory.
D) reality behind the "illusion" of the world of sense experience.

Question 17

The caves at Ajanta are an example of (Image, p. 260)

A) a sacred nature site worshipped by Hindus.
B) a hidden "church" of early Indian Christians.
C) a cave-shrine with Buddhist wall painting.
D) a Zoroastrian purification site.

Question 18

The Mahayana emphasized

A) monastic life.
B) piety and thought.
C) compassion and self?sacrifice.
D) monastic life, piety, and thought.

Question 19

How did the Sasanid Empire develop after the fall of the Parthians? What was the role of Zoroastrian orthodoxy? What benefit did the empire receive from the Byzantine state? What were the principal economic bases of the empire?
Conceptual

Question 20

What were the major religious issues in the Sasanid Empire? What changes came to the Zoroastrian orthodoxy? Who were the main opponents of the faith? What was the importance of the silk route in bringing different concepts of religion to central Asia?
Conceptual

Question 21

In what ways can the Gupta period (320-450) truly be considered a "Golden Age"? What was the extent of the boundaries during the time? Why did the empire collapse after 550? What was the importance of the movement of culture south to the Tamil?
Conceptual

Question 22

What are the main tenets of the Hindu faith? How did the caste system strengthen the major beliefs of the society and what benefits did it offer? How did Hinduism influence Buddhism during this time period?
Conceptual

Question 23

What were the main tenets of the Buddhist faith in the Gupta period? Why did the Mahayana tradition become popular in East Asia and China? What was the importance of merit in the Buddhist faith?
Conceptual

Question 24

How did the Silk Road bring new religious ideas to central Asia from 300 to 1000 C.E.? What were the new ideas and what impact did they have on the development of Asia?
Conceptual

Question 25

What is the difference between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism? How do they differ from Theravada Buddhism? Why are there so many different strands of Buddhist tradition?
Conceptual

Question 26

The "Global Perspective" section at the beginning of the chapter casts doubts on the progressive "rise of the West" interpretation for the first millennium C.E. Do you agree with this assessment? What model of historical change do you think might better fit world history in this time period?
Conceptual

Question 27

Explain the major teachings of Mani. How were these teachings related to the orthodox Christian tradition and to Zoroastrianism? How did Mani view the relationship between these three traditions?
Conceptual

Question 28

What was the impact of the Arab invasions on India and Persia (Iran)? What were the conditions that made the invasions successful and what changes did contact with Islamic culture bring?
Conceptual

Question 29

What aspects of the Gupta and Sasanid civilizations gave rise to the claim that they represented the high point of Indian and Persian civilizations? What contributions did each make to their respective cultures?
Conceptual

Question 30

Compare and contrast the role of religion in the Parthian Empire to that of religion in the Gupta world. How did religious points of view prompt change during these eras?
Conceptual

Question 31

What role did trade and contact with other cultures play in the development of Gupta India and Sasanid Persia?
Conceptual