Download The Roman Empire and Han China

The Roman Empire
and Han China
Similarities between Rome & Han
Big Picture
• This will give a greater sense of World History,
but they weren’t the only significant classical
societies.
• They were similar in some basic achievements.
• A focused comparison will give a greater sense
of what classical governments did.
Similarities between Rome & Han
• Han China 202 BCE – 220 CE
• Roman Empire 27 BCE – 476 CE
200
100
0
100
200
300
HAN
ROME
422 yrs
503 yrs
400
500
Similarities between Rome & Han
• Both ruled large masses of territory in an
orderly fashion for a considerable amount of
time: population was similar, a little more
than 50 million.
55
25
15
52 Million
35
54 Million
45
Han
Rome
5
Similarities between Rome & Han
• Both empires had clearly emphasized
territorial expansion before the advent of the
regimes.
Similar Economic Integration
1. Han continued building canals and road
systems to link the major parts of the
empire, that allowed specialization and
trade among the major regions.
Similar Economic Integration
2. Rome built a system of roads that linked
the provinces in order to facilitate
movement of armies and trade goods,
especially grains for food.
Political Integration Similarities
• Han combined certain devices to rule their
vast empire.
1. Han dynasty worked to further Confucian
thought as a means to instill values in the
elite, and possibly, other classes.
2. Emperors continued the tradition of
emphasizing of their divine majesty,
including processions and displays.
3. Han introduced the first bureaucracy with
representatives in the provinces.
Political Integration Similarities
• Rome combined certain devices to rule their
vast empire.
1. Roman writers were eager praise
emperors and imperial system
2. Rome didn’t assert divinity of emperors,
but surpassed Han in triumphal
processions and imperial monuments.
3. Rome developed a more rudimentary
bureaucracy than Han, but placed great
emphasis on rule of law.
Government Systems
• Both systems expanded the function of
government, using their powers of
bureaucracy and taxation.
• Both governments were actively engaged in
economic activity designed to ensure a stable
social and political order.
Differences
Even the differences between these
two systems seem to fall within a
context of remarkable similarities.
Integration of Vast Territory
• The Chinese used colonization to integrate the
territory
1. The Middle Kingdom of China was the
scene of major ethnic mixing and division.
2. The Han Dynasty planted large colonies of
northern Chinese in the south.
3. Han required Mandarin language at elite
and bureaucratic levels.
Integration of Vast Territory
• Rome planted colonies of soldiers to foster
Roman lifestyle in remote places
1. Rome maintained loose control over
provinces and relied on local control.
2. Romans emphasized the expansion of
Roman citizenship.
3. Romans encouraged the use of Latin in
upper class, but Greek was the
predominate language.
Surviving Cessation of Expansion
• Han pushed the boundaries of empire out, but
when it reached a sustainable point, didn’t feel
the need to continue to expand.
• Rome needed additional territory to reward
generals and soldiers.
• Han used few slaves.
• Rome needed to expand to provide a
continuing supply of slaves to the labor system.
Surviving Cessation of Expansion
• Han sought to expand the cultural ideas of
Confucianism and saw war as a last resort.
• Rome was highly militaristic and used war and
power for expansion and assimilation.
• Rome more clearly began to decline when it
reached a point at which expansion became
impossible, after about 180 C.E.
Cultural Differences
• Han dynasty focused on Confucianism.
• Rome focused on civic religion.
• In Han China, Buddhism began to draw
attention in the later stages and would surge
forward after the dynasty collapsed.
• In Rome, increasing numbers of people
converted to Christianity, especially after
Constantine made it the national religion.
Decline and Fall
• Both empires began to fade as the quality of
emperors declined.
• Both faced invasions from Central Asia and
elsewhere.
• Both suffered economic stagnation and
disease that reduced the population.
Decline and Fall
• Once western Roman Empire fell in 476 C.E.,
the empire would be remembered and
borrowed from by later regimes, but would
never be reborn.
• The Han dynasty was destroyed, but its
institutions and achievements were revived by
later regimes.