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Ancient China
Ancient China produced what has become the oldest extant culture in the world. The name 'China' comes from the Sanskrit Cina (derived from the name of the Chinese Qin Dynasty, pronounced 'Chin') which was translated as 'Cin' by the Persians...

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Shang Dynasty of China, c. 1100 BCE
This map illustrates the rise and expansion of the Shang dynasty, which emerged around 1600 BCE after the fall of the Xia dynasty. Centered on the North China Plain, the Shang established a hereditary monarchy with a centralized government...

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Tang Dynasty of China, c. 669 CE
A map illustrating the Tang Dynasty of China at its greatest extent under the rule of Emperor Gaozong, encompassing modern-day China, parts of Central Asia, and the Korean Peninsula. Around 669, the Empire reached its pinnacle of economic...

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Gupta Dynasty India, 320 - c. 550 CE
A map illustrating the rise to power and expansion of the Gupta dynasty in India. Once rulers of the Magadha (now Bihar) kingdom, between the early 300s and mid-500s, they held an empire in northern and parts of central and western India...

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The Merovingian Dynasty, c. 639
This map illustrates the rise and expansion of the Merovingians, a Frankish dynasty that, by the late 5th century, unified the fragmented tribes of present-day France, Germany, the Low Countries, Switzerland, and Austria. Beginning with Clovis...

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Celadon Fish-Dragon Ewer, Goryeo Dynasty
A celadon fish-dragon ewer. 12th century CE, Goryeo Dynasty, Korea. (National Museum of Korea, Soul, South Korea)

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Liao Dynasty Map
A map indicating the territory controlled by the Liao dynasty (Khitans), 907-1125 CE.

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Delhi Sultanate under the Mamluk Dynasty, 1206-1290
This map illustrates the foundation and expansion of the Delhi Sultanate under the Mamluk Dynasty (also spelled Mameluke, Arabic: مملوك, mamlūk, meaning "one who is owned," a slave), which ruled northern India from 1206 to 1290. Established...

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Julio-Claudian Dynasty of the Roman Empire
A depiction of the evolution of the first imperial dynasty of ancient Rome, the Julio-Claudians that began with Augustus (Julius Caesar's adopted son) and included the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. During their time, Rome...

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Tang Dynasty Provinces c. 742 CE
The provinces of the Tang Dynasty c. 742 CE. The Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) is regularly cited as the greatest imperial dynasty in ancient Chinese history. It was a golden age of reform and cultural advancement, which lay the groundwork for...