the roman empire and han china: a close comparison
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The Roman Empire and Han China: A close comparison. Imperial Rome and Han China. Both lasted approximately 400 years Both had population of about 50 million. Origins of empire. Han China built on earlier imperial traditions started by the Qin and Zhou. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Imperial Rome and Han China
• Both lasted approximately 400 years• Both had population of about 50 million
Origins of empire
Han China built on earlier imperial traditions started by the Qin and Zhou
Rome was built on controlling aristocratic landlords and a certain element of democracy
Integrating the empires
• Massive road building projects linked crucial parts of the empires
• Roads facilitated communication, economic activity, access to resources, and movement of military.
Mechanisms for political integration in China
• Confucianism identified principles necessary for political and social order
• Emphasized the emperors divine majesty
• Developed a sophisticated bureaucracy with gov representatives in the provinces
Mechanisms for political integration in the Roman Empire
• Literature – writers were eager to sing the praises of the emperor and the imperial system
• Bureaucracy less complex than Han, but greater emphasis on the legal system
• Monuments and triumphal processions played up the glory and grandeur of the empire itself and its rulers
The power of the central governments in Han China and Imperial Rome
Both systems expanded the functions of government, using considerable powers of bureaucracy and taxation to provision major cities. Both governments were actively engaged in a certain level of economic activity designed to ensure a stable social and political order.
Han China worked harder at integration than the Romans
• Large colonies of northern Chinese were planted in newly conquered territories
• Use of Mandarin language required by the elite and bureaucrats and pushed heavily on all classes
Rome also used colonies to foster unity and integration throughout the Empire
• Colonies were smaller, basically military outposts not intended for population integration
• Latin was encouraged but never supplanted Greek in the east
• Expansion of Roman citizenship was emphasized
• Rome was content to establish looser control on provinces and rely on local autonomy
Territorial expansion
Han China• Pushed boundaries far
beyond Middle Kingdom, but when they reached a sustainable point, did not feel the need to compensate for cessation of expansion
Imperial Rome• Rome’s appetite for expansion
was unbounded• A more militaristic culture• Romans needed additional
territory to reward generals and soldiers
• They needed a continuing supply of slaves for their labor system
• Rome began to fade after 180 CE when expansion became impossible
Han China was more culturally creative than Rome
• Rome’s literature, art, and architecture was derived from the Greeks
• Classical China was more creative in the area of technology (e.g. gunpowder)
Before Han, China createdreligious and philosophical systems in ways that
Rome did not• Han emphasized Confucianism
and Rome’s emphasis was on civic religion
• Both emphases called attention to rituals and themes that would bring loyalty to the empire, but neither was intensely spiritual
• Both are exposed to new religions late in the Classical Period
Military activity• Military was encouraged
by both, but more so by Rome
• Rome known for tight discipline and organization of the infantry known as the legions
• China known more for military philosophy: Sun Tzu’s The Art of War still considered one of the great works on military strategy