Category
Ptolemaic
Zhou & Qin
Political Structure
Ptolemy, a favorite general of
Alexander, took over this
region (Egypt, Aegean Islands,
Cyprus, Crete, and parts of
Anatolia and Thrace) upon his
death. In 305 BCE, he made
himself pharaoh and established
the Ptolemaic dynasty. Alexandria,
a cosmopolitan city, was the heart
of this empire. Only people with
Greek ancestry held positions of
power in the government. But
Ptolemy also made himself a living
god/pharaoh to tie his rule with
Egyptian culture and government
power.
The Zhou legitimized their control over
China and their defeat of the Shang
dynasty by invoking the Mandate of
Heaven. While the Zhou dynasty ruled
for over 700 years, this was mainly in
name only as smaller states governed
themselves during this period rather
than the Zhou having a unifying
control over them. They did, however,
share common customs and a
common language. The Qin followed
the Zhou, also claiming that the Zhou
had lost the Mandate of Heaven. The
Qin emperors ruled more harshly
(using the philosophy of legalism)
and tried to maintain tight control over
their empire. At times, these emperors
were harsh and cruel, which led to
assassination attempts to get rid of
them.
Economic System
Farming was the basis of the
Egyptian economy including
exporting grains to other
regions. And as Alexandria was
positioned at a crossroads
connecting multiple networks,
trade was very important.
Introduced common currency to
facilitate trade and expanded
networks.
Farming was essential to the Chinese
economy, especially given its large
population. But trade was also
important (both internal and external).
Zhou system of roads made trade
more efficient. Even though trade was
lucrative, many Chinese rulers disliked
the practices of the merchants.
Military Practices
The Ptolemaic military would have
been highly organized and
efficient. The Ptolemaic dynasty
also frequently went to war with
the Seleucid Empire to the east
over territory (all of which had
once been under the control of
Alexander’s empire).
Zhou kings required military obligations
from the 200 states they loosely
controlled. The Qin would have
required a large military to enforce their
strict laws and style of government.
Category
Ptolemaic
Zhou & Qin
Social Hierarchy
The Greeks held higher
positions in both
government and society.
And unlike Alexander’s
policy of intermarrying with
conquered peoples, the
Greeks avoided
intermarriage with
Egyptians. This created two
separate (unequal) levels of
society in Ptolemaic Egypt.
Women were active in
religious festivals, which
required some education
(reading and writing of
religious texts). Aristocratic
women acted as patrons of
the arts and sciences but all
of this was for the wealthy
rather than for all women.
And some aristocratic or
royal women had great
power, as seen in the reign
of Cleopatra VII.
Chinese society was highly
regulated based on Confucian
practices and filial piety. Confucian
philosophy required that everyone
know their place and role in the
social order and to respect those
that were higher than them
in that order. Under the philosophy
of legalism, the ruler was the
person with absolute power and
all others were made to follow strict
laws.
Main Weaknesses
Repeated wars with the
Seleucid empire along with
higher taxes levied on the
people caused civil unrest in
Ptolemaic Egypt. This led to
revolts against Greek rule.
A fight about grain exports
(tribute) to Rome between
Cleopatra and her
co-pharaoh brother led to
Rome taking over Egypt in
order to make sure grain
exports from Egypt
remained at a steady
supply.
The Zhou dynasty was never truly a
united empire. There were loose
ties of kinship at the start, but these
began to diminish and so did the
Zhou control of China. Toward the
end of the Zhou, regional or local
kings began to desire more power
rather than support the king. The
decline of the Qin is more difficult
to figure out. Historians of the
periods that follow the Qin put the
blame on a decline in morality and
poor leadership. Western historians
focus instead on a series of
peasant revolts that left the
emperor and his dynasty weak.