1. What factors contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire in the west? How is the notion that Rome fell challenged by the rise of Christianity and the continuation of Roman power in the east?

2. In what ways was Buddhism transformed into a universal religion in this period, and what impact did this have on South Asia and East Asia?

3.  In what ways did Teotihuacan, and later, the Mayans, bring a degree of political and cultural unity to parts of Mesoamerica? What factors enabled and impeded this process?

4. What are the major characteristics of a universalizing religion for the period 300 to 600 CE? To what extent does each of the religious developments under study fit this general model?