World's history (part 5): TheMaurya Empire(322 – 185 BCE) in present-dayIndia. In the 3rd century BCE, most of South Asiawas united into theMaurya EmpirebyChandragupta Mauryaand flourished under Ashoka the Great. From the 3rd century CE, theGupta dynastyoversaw the period referred to as ancient India's Golden Age. From the 4th to 6th centuries, northern Indiawas ruled by the Gupta Empire. In southern India, three prominentDravidiankingdoms emerged: Cheras,Cholas, andPandyas. The ensuing stability contributed to heralding in the golden age of Hinduculture in the 4th and 5th centuries. TheRoman Empire, centered in present-dayItaly. Beginning in the 3rd century BCE, theRoman Republicbegan expanding its territory through conquest and colonization. By the time of Augustus(63 BCE - 14 CE), who would become the first Roman Emperor, Rome had already established dominion over most of the Mediterranean. The empire would continue to grow, controlling much of the land from EnglandtoMesopotamia, reaching its greatest extent under the emperorTrajan(d. 117 CE). In the 3rd century CE, the empire would split into western and eastern regions, with (sometimes) separate emperors. The Western empire would fall, in 476 CE, to German influence under Odoacer. The eastern empire, now known as theByzantine Empire, with its capital atConstantinople, would continue for another thousand years, until overthrown by the Ottoman Empirein 1453 CE. TheQin Dynasty(221 – 206 BCE), the first imperial dynasty of China, followed by theHan Empire(206 BCE – 220 CE). The Han Dynasty was comparable in power and influence to the Roman Empire that lay at the other end of the Silk Road. While the Romans constructed a vast military of unprecedented power, Han China was developing advanced cartography, shipbuilding, and navigation. The East invented blast furnaces and were capable of creating finely tuned copper instruments. As with other empires during the Classical Period, Han China advanced significantly in the areas of government, education, mathematics, astronomy, technology, and many others. TheAksumite Empire, centered in present-day Ethiopia. By the 1st century CE the Aksumite Empire had established itself as a major trading empire, dominating its neighbours in South ArabiaandKush, and controlling theRed Seatrade. They minted their own currency, and carved enormous monolithic stelaesuch as theObelisk of Axumto mark their Emperors'graves. Successful regional empires were also established inthe Americas, arising from cultures established as early as 2000 BCE. In Mesoamerica,[63]vast pre-Columbian societies were built, the most notable being theZapotec Empire(200 BCE – 100 CE), and the Mayan Empire, which reached its highest state of development during the Mesoamerican Classic period (c. 250 – 900 CE), but continued throughout the Post-Classic period until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century CE. Maya civilization arose as the mother cultureof theOlmecs[64]gradually declined. The great Mayancity-statesslowly rose in number and prominence, and Maya culture spread throughout the Yucatánand surrounding areas. The later empire of theAztecswas built on neighboring cultures and was influenced by conquered peoples such as the Toltecs. Ptolemy's world map, c. 150 CE Some areas experienced slow but steady technological advancements, with important developments such as the stirrupandmoldboard plowarriving every few centuries. There were, however, in some regions, periods of rapid technological progress. Most important, perhaps, was the Mediterraneanarea during theHellenistic period, when hundreds of technologies were invented. [65][66][67]Such periods were followed by periods of technological decay, as during the Roman Empire's decline and fall and the ensuingearly medievalperiod.