Download Mauryan v Athenian Empire Thesis: Athens and the Mauryans

Mauryan v Athenian Empire
Thesis: Athens and the Mauryans differed in their political centralization and sponsorship
of religion and were similar in having to defend themselves against the Persians.
Topic Sentence: Athens and the Mauryans differed in their levels of political control it
had over people. Athens, as the most powerful to city-state, was able force other city
states into the Delian League often against their will whereas the Mauryan Empire, far
less oppressive, was able to copy the Persian bureaucratic system of administration of
royally appointed officials such as judges and clerks throughout the empire to enforce the
rule of law. Athens created a system, where the subject states financed public works for
only Athens, such as the Parthenon during the Golden Age. This oppressive treatment
planted the seeds of the decline. The Mauryans were able to successfully regulate rather
than the Athenians, who more often seized private property and wealth to underwrite
Athens’ glory rather than creating things that benefited all of the city-states. These
different systems of rule were due in large part to the geographic nature of each region.
A single political unit would be near impossible to establish over the islands of the
Aegean and Mediterranean.
Topic Sentence: Athens and the Mauryans had different governments. Athens was a
city-state with no real control over other city-states whereas the Mauryans were not a
city-state. The Mauryan Empire had a bureaucratic system of administration of royally
appointed officials such as judges and clerks throughout the empire to enforce the rule of
law whereas Athens did not. These aspects of government are important throughout the
epoch of world history.