Both Rome and Han China rose from a smaller state. They achieved success through trade, discipline, and a strong military force. Agriculture was a main economic backbone, which supplied their government with tax funds and wealth. Overall, both empires encompassed a large amount of culture derived from the peoples derived and annexed into it. Imperial Rome and Han China’s similarities in social class, governing style, and technology helped aide its governmental power, but their differences in labor, job success, and ruling style caused for slight changes in societal standing. First of all, the similarities in Imperial Rome and Han China are most prevalent in the Roman Equites and Chinese Gentry. Wealthy, land owning or scholarly families constitute …show more content…
Primarily, the style of governments was principally different. Han China favored a Legalist and Confucian mix, due to Emperor Gaozu abolishing only some of the previous Legalist ways, and introducing strategic measures to keep the people happy, such as cutting costs to reduce taxes and storing grain in times of shortage. Imperial Rome, however, implied a principate and military dictatorial form of government. Augustus still maintained the the offices, senate, and many functions of the old republic, while using the military to secure his control. Although he never called himself an emperor, he chose to be “princeps.” Just as well, both governments inforced different types of labor. Han China was popular for it’s forced labor, like for the Great Wall construction, while Rome relied on slave labor for the fieldwork in farming and doing the lower, more laborious jobs. Relating to the class system, the government in Han China also suppressed the merchants while Rome was dependent on them. Han Chinese gentry members and advisers blamed merchants for many of the economic problems, and prohibited them and their children from holding government positions. However, in Rome, the empire experienced a “pax romana” where its merchants are traders were particularly successful in providing wealth to the Roman government, which in return deployed military members along trade routes to ensure the safety of
Han Dynasty and Roman Empire have many cultural aspects including religious, geographical, and political similarities that can be compared, though many differences are also widespread during this era. Though Roman and Han political structures, both emphasized bureaucracies, they came to them quite differently. Through many amounts of expansion, both societies spread culture and earned money, though expansion was eventually their downfall. Their religions differed greatly, with Rome, emphasizing polytheism and Han China focusing on Confucianism. The differences and similarities between these two civilizations are to be discussed in this essay. One might ask, Which civilization yielded the best
When comparing Han China and Classical Rome, many political, geographical, and religious similarities can be found, though many differences are also prevalent. Though Roman and Han political structures both emphasized bureaucracies, they came to them quite differently. Through copious amounts of expansion, both societies spread culture and earned money, though expansion was eventually their downfalls. Their religions differed immensely, with Rome emphasizing polytheism and Han China focusing on Confucianism. The differences and similarities between these two civilizations are to be discussed in this essay.
Most societies that developed in ancient civilizations were centered around some form of imperial administration and Imperial Rome (31 B.C.E.-476 C.E.) and Han China (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.) were no different in this sense. Both civilizations had a network of cities and roads, with similar technologies that catalyzed cultural amalgamation and upgraded the standard of living, along with comparable organizational structures. Additionally, both civilizations had problems managing their borders and used similar tactics for defense. However, the Chinese Emperor was interpreted as a God while the Roman Emperor was a lugal, or big man, who had to fight not only to gain power, but to push through his initiatives. The similarities and differences
Although the foundation of both empires was built upon political integration, their organization of government differed. The Han Dynasty’s centralized power and administration was based on a bureaucratic system while the Roman Empire’s imperial power was based on a one-man sovereign. In order to improve Chinese society, which was under tyrannical rule under the Qin Dynasty, the Han Empire centralized their government with the synthesis between an imperial family and the new scholar-gentry class under a bureaucratic system. By securing power to overthrow the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang provided lands to those military supporters who helped with the task. From the land grants given, the royal families and supporters were entitled
There are many differences and similarities between the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty like their technological achievements, social classes, and political leaders. In the Han Dynasty a leader’s actions were backed up by the Mandate of Heaven and if they lost the Mandate a new leader would come to power. However in early Rome there was a struggle between the elites and the plebeians; the majority of the population. Romans expanded on the concept of arches, created concrete, and aqueducts while Han used many canals. Both the Han and Romans broaden the use and creation of roads. The Han society was
To begin with, both Imperial Rome and Han China were ruled under a bureaucracy. In Rome the emperor was the ultimate authority. The
The decline of China and Rome both shared similar economic strife in that they were both subject to barbarian and nomadic invasions, therefore having to spend large amounts of money on frontier defense; however, they differed in that the Han Empire collapsed in part due to the high taxes imposed on the peasant class resulting in a large peasant rebellion, such as the Yellow Turbans, while in Rome tax collections was in danger of abandonment as residents of the empire were few in number and in financial difficulty. In addition, the two empires were similar socially because of large epidemics, diseases, and plagues that caused a population decrease. Also, both experienced a
Throughout history, there were various empires which developed into great, powerful forces. These empires expanded their lands to new places but, these empires ultimately came to an end. Amongst these great empires, were the Han and the Roman empire. Both were great in power but, due to political, social, and economic causes, they came to an end. Although they do partake in the equal shares of corruption and problems with the military, they also had fair shares of differences, regarding their declines. For example, the Han empire had decentralization and rebellion while Rome had shifted in interests and developed war issues. These differences and similarities are bits of history which help to comprehend why these empires are no longer
The Han dynasty showed an appreciation for technology and utilized it to make their society run more efficiently; Chinese government ensured that adequate technology was provided for the nobles and commoners alike, while the Roman government officials gave precedence to using technology for infrastructure improvements and not necessarily towards welfare of the people. During the early 2nd century BCE, a Han government official wrote to local officials on organizing his labor force (Document 1). Water conservation offices were requested to be placed in each of the districts and staffed with people who were experienced with the water passage. The official focuses on ordering inspections throughout the empire, along with supplying workers to tend to repairing duties. He showed concern for the common people and conveyed the idea that technology is an essential part of the empire and the need for government intervention in order to
The collapse of the Han and the Roman Empires during the classical era has some similar factors on the social and economic aspects, namely the decline in the trade and the widespread epidemic disease. However, each faced unique factors contributing to their collapse. In the Han Empire, the weak emperors didn't have a proper position as a emperor while the influence of army generals rise up gradually, whereas Rome’ ineffective later emperors concerned more with a life of pleasure than a desire to rule wisely.
They used a mix of Confucianism and legalism to regulate the people and therefore established a system of ruling by morals and ethics. In the Roman Empire, the emperor had all the power even though there were consuls and a Senate so it was an autocracy instead of a republic like it was before the Roman Empire hence the name "Roman Republic". The Roman Empire had a less complex bureaucracy than the Han that counted on the middle class and the local elites and had more emphasis on law. There was a social structure with the difference being that in Han China the lower class had no say in their government whereas the plebeians in the Roman Empire had representatives in the Senate called tribunes. Both governments built roads which linked their empires together and, on these roads, trade took place.
The Roman Empire used more law codes and a more common version of a legal system. The Romans also had a bureaucracy, but it was much duller then the Han’s
It is true that there were two really great civilizations that were created and they were Rome and Han China. Both of these civilizations had become more interested in consolidating power within the limits than expanding them. Each empire brought the provinces of their domains together to create a regime of unprecedented scales and enhanced the integration of local worlds into a common legal and cultural framework. The Han dynasty became China’s formative empire, expanding Han rule in all directions. The Han dynasty expanded so far they had an East and a West and the West dynasty lasted from 206 BCE to 9 CE, and the East dynasty lasted from 25- 220 CE. Whereas the Han dynasty had dominated an enormous landmass, the Romans dominated the
In the era of classical civilizations between 600 BCE and 600 CE, some of the largest city-states grew into some of the world's largest empires. They were much larger, and this led to the creation of complex government systems that typically gave the emperor or king a divine right-like power (Mandate of Heaven in China), who oversaw more local governors. The people who had the political power were also concerned with accumulating economic and territorial power, and trade routes developed, most notably, the Silk Road. This led to a more interconnected world, but most people were still engaged in agricultural work. In addition, social, cultural, and political structures became more ingrained and emphasized. One factor that contributed to this as well as the rise (and eventual fall) of the Han and Roman empires was technology, which the Chinese had appreciation for, but the Romans did not, as according to their beliefs.
Rome and China’s respective governments both ran their empires but had very different factors influencing their formations, although once formed the administrations shared markable similarities in their