Age of Empires:
Rome & Han China
753 BCE-600 CE
Imperial Rome and Han China
• Both lasted approximately 400 years
• Both had populations of about 50 million
Rome
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Natural protections-central location
Able to utilize manpower resources
of Italy
Mediterranean=“Roman Lake”
Hilly, fertile arable land
Many navigable rivers
Han China
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Natural protections-relative isolation
Large landmass
River systems, plateau, deserts, mnts
North China plain-fertile but
required extensive irrigation
Origins of Empire
Han China built on earlier
imperial traditions started by
the Qin and Zhou
Rome built on aristocratic
landlords expanding out from
a city-state
Government
Rome
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1st ruled by Kings, then republican
oligarchy
Augustus set model for Emperorestablished Principate-a military
dictatorship-cult of emperor
Well organized bureaucracy founded
on Roman law & classical learningused local officials
“Standing Army”- best trained, best
fed
Slave labor
Built extensive road system for
military but also spread commerce &
culture
Enemies on borders
1st persecuted then adopted
Christianity
Han China
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Dynastic Mandate-Emperor was “Son
of Heaven”
Well organized bureaucracy founded
on Confucian ideas & traditions-used
local officials
Emperor promulgated the law
Military & civilian conscription
Built extensive road system for
military but also spread commerce
and culture
Enemies on borders
Adopted Confucianism
Used Confucian scholars as
government officials
Politics
Rome
• Citizenship
• Laws established by
“Twelve Tables”
Han China
• No idea of citizenship
• Law promulgated by
Emperor
Militarism: Both emphasized territorial expansion
Roman Empire
Han China
Perceived threats to security led to wars and conquests, which only
increased the length of borders and led to more perceived threats…which
led to more conquests…
Economic
Ancient Rome
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Agriculture-”latifundia”-large estates
owned by wealthy
Significant slave labor
Received revenue from percentage of
annual harvest
Degree of economic mobility for
middle classes
Han China
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Agriculture-Gentry-large estates owned
by wealthy
Significant population growth
Agriculture directed by government;
monopolies on iron, salt
Received revenue from percentage of
annual harvest
Merchants & peasants paid taxes in coin
cash & land taxes with portion of crop
Han China
Rome
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Merchants were 2nd rate
occupation
Trade flourished: “Pax Romana”
Silk, spices
Coin Currency
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Merchants: Itinerant, large scale, traveled
extensively, often wealthy, special privileges
Merchants: marketplace-low status
Unprecedented growth in commerce industry
tributary exchanges w/ foreign countries
Coin currency
Government owned shops that competed
with itinerant merchants to reduce their
economic power
Urbanization
Rome
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Rome
Model for other cities
Prominent marketplace: Forum
Wealth derived from conquest
Colosseum, Pantheon,
Hippodrome, Baths
Han China
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Chang’an & Luoang
Model for other cities
Prominent marketplace
Wealth derived from private
commerce, new trade routes,
handicraft industries
• Prominent marketplaces
Technology
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Rome
Roads, bridge-building,
ballistic weapons
elevated & underground
aqueducts
arches & domes
amphitheaters
sewage systems
concrete
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Han China
Roads, canals, Great Wall
Astronomical observations
Watermills
Horse collar
Paper, crossbow trigger
Early seismometer
Integrating the empires
Infrastructure:
• Massive road building
projects linked crucial parts of
the empires
• Roads facilitated
communication, economic
activity, access to resources,
movement of military
• Rome – invented concrete &
engineered feats like
aqueducts
Yep – that’s a Roman Road, still
around today. Looking good after
2,000 years.
Mechanisms for Political Integration: China
• Confucianism identified principles
necessary for political & social order
• Emphasized emperors’ divine majesty,
links to Heaven, morality through correct
ritual (ancestor veneration
• Developed a sophisticated bureaucracy
with gov’t officials in provinces (staffed by
middle class)
• Imperial Academy & exam system meant
ALL areas of China were cohesive &
Confucian
Mechanisms for Political Integration: Rome
• Bureaucracy less complex
than Han – relied on local
elites & middle class to
control provinces
• Greater emphasis on law
codes- common legal system
• Monuments & triumphal
processions played up glory of
empire & rulers
• Cult of deceased Emperors
Citizenship & Colonies: China
• Large colonies of
ethnically Han
(northern) Chinese
planted in newly
conquered territories
• Use of Mandarin
language required by
elites & bureaucrats
• Ideology of
Confucianism enforced
by the central
authority
Citizenship & Colonies: Rome
• Colonies were military
outposts-not intended
for population
integration
• Latin encouraged but
never took over Greek in
East (people STILL looked
up to Greek culture)
• Expansion of Roman
citizenship given for
army service
• Loose control-more local
autonomy
Imperial Power
• Both systems expanded
functions of government
•Used bureaucracy &
taxation to provision major
cities & increased coercion
with military
• Both governments actively
engaged in economic activity
designed to ensure stability
• Han=monopoly on salt &
iron
•Rome=“Bread and Circuses”
Territorial Expansion
Imperial Han China
• Pushed boundaries far
beyond Qin homeland, but
when reached sustainable
point, did not feel need to
compensate for cessation
of expansion
• Labor force not reliant on
slavery – peasant
population made constant
expansion less necessary
• Chinese script helped unify
Imperial Rome
• More militaristic
• Needed additional territory as
source of wealth & to pay
soldiers
• Needed continuing supply of
slaves for labor system
• Latin language helped unify
• Provided opportunity for Roman
citizenship
Family & Society
Rome
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Basic unit of society=the family
Paterfamilias exercised absolute
authority
High status males elicited obedience
Ancestors/family name important
Inequality accepted, institutionalized
Reliance on patricians
Patron-client relationships-system of
mutual benefit & obligation
Han China
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Basic unit of society=family
Emphasis on family ancestors-”filial
piety”
Family hierarchy reflected in society
Ancestors played active role in
everyday life
Reliance on landowning gentry
Role of Women
Rome
• Patriarchal
• No public role
• Unable to own property or
represent self in legal matters
• Depended on male guardians
• Less constrained than Greek
Women
• Over time, gained rights &
protections
• Some women very influential
Han China
• Patriarchal-expected to be
obedient
• Quality of life depended on
economics
• Status & authority depended on
society
• Royal women could be very
influential-Empress Dowager
could over-ride decisions of
Emperor
Religious/ Philosophical Systems
• Early, both focused on
rituals & themes to
instilled loyalty to empireneither intensely spiritual
• Both exposed to new
religions late in Classical
Period (Buddhism in China,
Christianity in Rome)
• Both incorporated
elements of respective
beliefs as methods of
political control
Religion/Philosophical Systems
Han China
(Shamanistic-Confucian)
Rome
(Paganism-Christian)
• Divination
• Polytheistic-adopted Greek
gods
• Calendar revolved around
religious festivals
• Invisible forces called“numina”
• Rituals sacrifices to maintain
Pax deorum-”peace of gods”
• Christianity suppressed then
adopted as state religion
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Divination
Cult of Ancestors
Nature Spirits
Yin/Yang
Feng Shui
Confucianism-rituals &
relationships
• Daoism-questioned
tradition-rejected hierarchy
• Buddhism-syncretized as it
spread to China
Decline & Fall
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Rome
Internal conflicts in military
Rivalries & divisions of
authority due to vast size
Division of Empire into East
and West
Christianity undermined
traditional values
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Han China
Conflict within ruling elites
Peasant rebellions
Generals usurped
power=warlords-divide into
3 kingdoms
Northern nomads
Decline of Imperial Rome and Han China
• Overexpansion led to invasions by nomadic pastoralists
• Tax based weakened as land (wealth) was concentrated into fewer handspaid less in taxes
• Decline in morals/values
• Urban decay=Decline in public health
• Political corruption
• Unemployment; inflation
• Military spending
• Lack of technological innovation
• Western Roman cultural elements died out with the empire: change
• Han dynasty was destroyed, but its institutions and traditions were revived
by later dynasties: continuity
Why Was China Revived and
Rome Not?
• No Roman equivalent of Confucianism—no method or idea of political
organization and social conduct that could survive the breakdown of the
Roman state
• Dynasties come & go, but Confucianism continues
• Roman culture blended with Germanic to create new traditions
• Many Roman characteristics continued into Byzantine Empire: law,
Christianity, & military organization, etc.