The Classical Era, 600 bce to 600 ce, gave rise to influential philosophies such as Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism.In India, the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama,the Buddha,challenged the social inequalities associated with Hinduism.Zoroastrianism,located in ancient Persia,gained political influence under the Sassanid Dynasty.Judaism,Christianity and and later on Islam,developed with similar ideas related to concepts of good vs evil.States and empires emerged under dynasties like the Maurya and Gupta in South Asia,and the Zhou,Qin and Han in East Asia.The Mediterranean Sea gave rise to a variety of people that ranged from the seafaring Phoenicians to the imperialistic Roman Empire.