Chapter 4: First Empires and Common Cultures, 1200350 bce
Research Topics
East, West, and South Asia societies became more culturally, socially, and politically integrated between 1200 and 350 BCE. Indeed, all three regions experienced the growth of a common culture. While this process did not affect all groups within each region equally, a common worldview spread in each area, often encouraged by economic and political elites. These elite groups created and propagated their visions through a variety of methods and techniques. The following documents explore attempts by Assyrian, Persian, Zhou, and Vedic leaders to shape a common outlook in their respective regions. As you examine each document, identify the overarching vision that each text proposes. How did this message support the interest of the elites in each society? How did these worldviews unite various groups in these regions? How did they promote order and stability in each region?
Featured Documents
- Assyrian Inscription of Tiglath-Pileser I (c. 1100 BCE)
- The Great Inscription of Darius as Behistun (c. 500 BCE)
- "The Mandate of Heaven" The Shu King Part V.—The Books Of Chau Book I.— The Great Declaration (first millennium BCE), p.81-85
- The Rig Veda 10.9
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