The 4th century BCE started the first day of 400 BCE and ended the last day of 301 BCE . It is considered part of the Classical era , epoch , or historical period .
6-748: During the Gojoseon–Yan War , which occurred in the late 4th century BC , the Yan feudal state invaded the Gojoseon kingdom. The Yan military campaign was led by General Qin Kai . The invasion resulted in Yan's conquest of the Liaodong Peninsula from Gojoseon. Around 323 BC, Yan attempted to invade Gojoseon to strengthen the authority of its king and to obtain human and material resources. However, Gojoseon
12-470: A degree of democracy still existed in some of the remaining independent Greek cities, many scholars see this age as marking the end of classical Greece. In India , the Maurya Empire was founded in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya who rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India , taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by
18-568: The armies of Alexander. China in the 4th century BCE entered an era of constant warfare known as the Warring States period . The period saw the rapid rise of large states (such as Chu ) over smaller ones thanks to technological advancement. Though the period has usually been characterized by historians as being excessively violent compared to the Spring and Autumn period , it was also punctuated by several cultural and social growths through
24-528: The collapse of the once formidable Persian Empire and spreading Greek culture far into the east. Alexander dreamt of an east/west union, but when his short life ended in 323 BCE, his vast empire was plunged into civil war as his generals each carved out their own separate kingdoms. Thus began the Hellenistic age , a period characterized by a more absolute approach to rule, with Greek kings taking on royal trappings and setting up hereditary successions. While
30-412: The height of Classical Greek civilization in all of its aspects. By the year 400 BCE Greek philosophy , art , literature and architecture had spread far and wide, with the numerous independent Greek colonies that had sprung up throughout the lands of the eastern Mediterranean . Arguably the most important series of political events in this period were the conquests of Alexander , bringing about
36-415: Was able to frustrate these plans through military and diplomatic actions. Yan was weakened by civil war since 316 BC, which had affected the balance of power between Gojoseon and Yan. Gojoseon applied political and military pressure on Yan during the period. This escalated the tension between the two states, which would ultimately lead into the outbreak of the war. 4th century BC This century marked
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