2.3. Late Antiquity

In the epoch of late Antiquity (the first half of 1 thousand AD) in the history of mankind the tribes and peoples of the periphery of the ancient states begin to play an increasingly important role. At this time they reach the level of development when the process of social stratification is actively under way, and the prerequisites for the emergence of states are being created. In the III-V centuries. the Great Migration begins , covering almost all the edges of the ancient states and in many cases becoming the immediate cause of their collapse.

At the last stage of the history of ancient states, significant changes are outlined in all spheres of life, new socio-economic relations are forming, urban freedoms are eliminated, a general equalization of various groups of the working population (free, incomplete slaves) to the status of dependent subjects is observed. The curtailment of commodity-money relations begins, cities lose their significance, the center of economic life gradually moves to the estates of large landowners, who concentrate economic, political, and judicial power over the lands belonging to them. Thus, in the first centuries of the new era, the formation of new - feudal relations takes place. Antiquity gives way to the Middle Ages.

China. In 25 AD A representative of the Han House, Guan Wudi (25-57), seized power and founded the Younger Han Dynasty. He began his reign with the suppression of the “Red Eyebrows” uprising, but at the same time he carried out a number of measures aimed at reducing slavery, especially of his fellow tribesmen, and somewhat easing the position of the people. Since the second half of I century. intermediary trade develops between the Han Empire and the Romans, the Han control the Great Silk Road, but around the middle of the 2nd c. With the emergence of new strong states, China is losing its hegemony on this important trade route. From this time, trade with South India and the countries of the South Seas and Southeast Asia, where in the first half of the 1st millennium AD began to actively develop. the first states emerge: Yamato - on the territory of Japan, Matarama - on the island of Java, etc.

From the 2nd c. in the Han Empire, significant changes are outlined. Slave farms continue to exist, but the estates of strong houses — noble powerful families — are becoming increasingly common. Here, along with slave labor, landless people are employed who find themselves dependent on landowners. The estates of strong houses are gradually becoming economically closed farms, there is a curtailment of commodity-money relations. At the beginning of the III. in the Han Empire, a decree was adopted to replace monetary obligations with natural ones, then the circulation of coins was officially abolished, and silk and grain began to be used as money. The number of cities in the III. compared with the beginning of the new era is reduced by half, there is a reduction in the area of ​​arable land, the size of the tax-paying population.

From the middle of the II c. in the Han empire almost every year there were uprisings, and the constant raids of nomadic tribes contributed to the weakening of the state. At the end of the II. the whole empire was swept by the uprising of the “Yellow Armbands” , the participants of which opposed the unjust order of the “Blue Sky” - the Han Empire and wore yellow armbands as a symbol of the “Yellow Sky” - the welfare state; the rebel army numbered 100 thousand people. The army of strong houses managed to suppress the performance, united for this purpose, but after the victory began the division of power. In 220, the Han Empire ceased to exist, disintegrating into three kingdoms, in which new - feudal relations began to actively develop.

Sasanian power . In the third century, the major powers of the world (China, Rome, Parthia) appear a new formidable rival - the Sassanid state. At the beginning of this century there were several small semi-dependent principalities in southern Iran, which was ruled by Parthia. The ruler of one of them - Artashir (226 / 7-242 / 3) of the Sassanid clan managed to unite southern Iran, and then defeat the Parthia. In 226, he proclaimed himself king of Iran, the Sassanid Empire arose. In the III-IV centuries. its power extends over a vast territory from Syria to the Indus, from the Greater Caucasus Mountains to the Oman Peninsula in Arabia.

Early Sasanian power III-V centuries. represented a transitional form from a slaveholding state to a feudal state. During this period, on the one hand, the centralization of power is growing, the liquidation of city self-government begins, and the tsarist land fund is increasing by reducing the lands of the big nobility. At the same time, there is a growing desire for the political independence of many of the shahs — representatives of the nobility and high-ranking officials, who manage the cities and counties of the empire, where they have civil and military power. During this period, the increase in the lands from the tsarist fund to private individuals is increased, provided they serve in the state apparatus or the army. There is a reduction of communal lands, which are gradually transferred to the conditional possession of the nobility or major officials with the right to collect taxes and their own jurisdiction. Already from the middle of the III c. gradually begins the partial liberation of the slaves, giving them land. Thus, to the VI. the Sassanid state is becoming feudal; its subsequent history dates back to the Middle Ages.

India. In the VI. India was a mass of small states, during this period the prerequisites were created for the emergence of a new state of general India. The core of the economically and culturally Magadha region became the core of the new empire. rules of the Gupta dynasty. The Gupta state is rapidly becoming one of the largest empires in the East, whose power extends over most of the Indian subcontinent. The heyday of the Gupta Empire falls at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries. When the state reaches its maximum, a rise in economy and culture is observed.

As elsewhere, in India to the V c. The practice of giving land to individuals in the form of remuneration for service is widely spread, and such donations were made not only by the state, as it was before, but also by private individuals. Everywhere there is an active process of turning the bulk of free-minded community members into full-fledged peasants. The main element of the class system become caste (or jati). Each caste, unlike the varn, was not all-Indian, but covered a small group of people inhabiting a certain region and engaged in one area of ​​economic activity. Castes differed from Varnas also by the presence of governing bodies, mutual aid systems, a common cash register, the existence of numerous rules of communication between caste members. Jati castes, originally originated in the cities from the unions of artisans and merchants, gradually penetrated into the village. Basically, castes existed within the limits of the Varnish and Shudr varnas, but some were outside the Varna system and were considered untouchable, they were engaged in the lowest-paid and despised works and were completely powerless, although they were not owned by anyone, such as slaves.

From the second half of the 5th century The weakening of the Gupta state begins, largely due to the need to wage a hard struggle with the Hun-Ephtalite tribes that invaded India. In V-VI centuries. there is an economic downturn: the number of coins in circulation is decreasing, cities are declining, which is evidence of the naturalization of the economy.

In exile of the nomadic tribes from India, the Gupta were supported by strengthened local rulers, and soon the empire began to quickly disintegrate. In the middle of the VI. Gupta dynasty ceases to exist. Since that time, India is again a multitude of small states and is entering the Middle Ages.

The states of the Ancient East made a significant contribution to the history of mankind: they learned how to process iron and get steel, glass and glassware, a compass, paper, gunpowder, almost all types of writing and many other things were invented. The achievements of the ancient Eastern states became the basis for the further development of the countries of the East, had a strong influence on the cradle of European civilization Ancient Greece and Rome.

Questions for self-test

1. 1. In which states of the Ancient East did the despotic form of government receive the most development?

2. 2. Tell us about the development of slaveholding relations in ancient Eastern states.

3. 3. In which state were the first laws known to us been adopted?

4. 4. Why do you think the time of existence of individual states of the Ancient East was relatively short?

5. 5. Name the characteristics of each stage of the history of ancient Eastern states, give specific examples.