Post on 03-Feb-2016
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Age of Empires:Rome & Han China
753 B.C.E – 600 C.E
Rome: The Republic 507-31 B.C.E
• Senate & Consul(s) = – 2 major branches of govt. – Provincial Governors = Corrupt
• Early Expansion– Motives = Greed, aggressiveness,
Consul generalship– Methods = Citizen armies, Roman
citizenship to conquered– Ex: Carthage 200-30 BCE /
Hellenistic 59-51 BCE / Gaul (Julius Caesar)
• FAIL = Rome’s Republic– Latifundia Estates / $ Crops– Poor urban population– Swaying loyalty of soldiers
Rome: The Empire 31 B.C.E-600 C.E.
• Octavian (Augustus Caesar) = Emperor of Rome– Increased power of Emperor– Reformed govt. / civil service /
added land– Succession determined by army
• Pax Romana 27 BCE – 180 CE– Manufacture & Trade Flourished– Imports (Grain, Silk, Spices)– Exports (glass, metalwork, pottery)
• Romanization = – Adaptation of Roman culture by
conquered peoples• Western Empire Crumbling while
Eastern Empire Flourishing– Constantinople new capital 324CE
(Preserved Roman traditions)
Rome: The Culture• Religions
– Mythology -> Christianity– Adopted by Emperor
Constantine – Council of Nicea
• Rural Rome– 80% of empire = farmers– Hard life of farming
• Urban Empire– Rome, Alexandria, Carthage,
Antioch• Paterfamilias =
– Roman hierarchical family structure
– Status of women depended on social class and husband
Qin China 221-207 B.C.E
• Shi Huangdi (Emperor)– ‘Unification’ of Central
and Northern China– Created strong
bureaucracy – Suppressed
Confucianism in favor of Legalism
– Secured Borders: Forced conscription & freed peasantry from slavery
– Death in 210 BCE Terracotta Army
– Qin Rule over by 206 B.C.E
Han China: 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.• Family = Basic Unit of Society
– Unbroken chain of ancestors– Hierarchy of elder male– Women’s status also depended
on social class• Confucianism = Major Ideology• Major Leaders
– Gaozu (Liu Bang) =Transition from Qin to Han
– Wu = Stronger military, adoption of Confucianism, Expansion of empire 141-87 BCE
• Decline & Fall 220 CE– Undermined by weak leadership,
less tax revenue, mercenary armies, corruption, nomadic attacks
Comparison Rome & Han China
• Similarities– Agriculture = Main
Economic Activity– Empires encompassed
diverse cultures– Built roads (Military &
Commercial Use)– Majority of population lived
in rural areas– Undermined by military
spending– Overrun by peoples that
continued their culture
• Differences– Imperial model survived
continuously in China– Concept of the individual
(Rome)– Economic mobility of
middle class (Rome)– Structure of Military
(professional soldiers V. draftees)
– Major Religions
Continuities/Patterns in Chinese History
• Ethnocentrism• Xenophobia• Importance of Family• Low Status of Women• Conflict with Nature• Hard Lives of
Peasants
• Authoritarian Govt.• Dynastic Cycle• Cultural Conservatism• Education Valued• Creativity &
Innovation