Essay on Ap World Similarities and Differences China and Rome

Both Han China and Imperial Rome lasted approximately 400 years and spent many of those years expanding their empire through many similar and different methods of political control. For example a similarity between the two empires was that they both were patriarchal and saved political roles for men. A difference between the two empires was that both of their governments were structured differently, Han China’s structure was based on Confucianism values, as Rome emphasized a legal system. Both Han China and Imperial Rome had strong political control which led to their growth two of the greatest empires in the Classical Age. They grew at their own pace, but they shared similar methods of political control.

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

When It comes to political control between Han China and Imperial Rome there are many similarities and differences recorded between the two. They may have been on opposite sides of the continent, but they were in many ways alike, and although they are in the same time period, Han China, 206 BCE - 220 CE and Imperial Rome, 31 BCE - 476 CE, they are very different. Han China and Imperial Rome were very similar (starting point, end of the period) but , there were also very different (government type, leaders).

    Imperial Rome and Han China were both governed by a dominant figurehead. In Rome the republic leader commanded the society, and in Han the emperor was in charge. The role of the leader was similar in both empires because the leaders would use political theologies to explain and justify their rise to power. In Han China, the concept of “The Mandate of Heaven” explained that an emperor and his ancestors could stay in power as long as he kept the kingdom prosperous and stable. In Imperial Rome, the leader used the Principate to hide his fraudulent rise to power and to justify his rule. The emperor's policies were also indistinguishable in a different way, both leaders established roles in the government for territorial

The Han controlled their territory far more efficiently and effectively than Rome because it excelled in all categories; economics, politics and technology. Rome was fairly effective at maintaining control of their empire, but could not compare to the unification achieved in China or the sophisticated systems used to control their citizens and make all aspects of life more efficient.

The Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China were both extremely powerful and widespread empires. They occurred at around the same time and their decline was with two hundred years of each other. The fall of the Roman and Han empires were similar and different because of corrupt politicians, invasions from foreign people, and the aftermath.

Although Han China and Rome shared similarities in their techniques of imperial administration though military conquest and engineering’s aid toward the economy, they differed in their approach to land distribution.

Han China (206 B.C.E -220C.E) and Imperial Rome (31 B.C.E-476 C.E) empires have both left big marks on our world and the way we view it today. Throughout history, these empires tried to create something that stood out. Though both were in different parts of the world, they both seemed to run their government in the same type of fashion with a few differences that made their empire the best for them. Although, they had a difference in slavery roles, they seem to fall under the similarities of leadership styles, social orders, and world influence.

The Roman Empire and The Han Dynasty were two of the most advanced civilizations at their time era, even though both Empires never battled each other, the two empires shared many similarities and had many differences. Even though the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire had similar economic structures and Roman Empire had a more balanced and equal social structure, the Han Empire ruled effectively because the Han emperors were considered divine by their people and they therefore have more respect and power over the citizens.

The Roman Empire and the Han dynasty both were two very advanced societies. Though the Han dynasty was founded slightly after the Roman Empire they both lasted approximately 400 years. The Roman Empire consisted of two classes of citizens the Patricians and Plebeians. This civilization consisted of a population of nearly fifty million people which was similar to the amount of people in the Han dynasty. The two civilizations both were exposed to new religions, though they were engaged in two different types of religions. One similarity between the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty is both had different levels of social class. At the top of the Roman Empire was the imperial family, then the senators, equestrians, aristocrats, magistrates, merchants, soldiers, artisans, manual laborers, freed slaves and slaves. The bottom of the Roman Empire’s social class list was referred to as the untouchables. The Han dynasty consisted of four classes, at the top was the emperor, then the nobles, government officials, followed by peasants, artisans, merchants, and slaves similar to the Roman

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

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.

These differences are composed of slavery, government testing, the downfall of the empires, and how to endorse the role of emperor. Headmost is slavery. Slavery existed in both Han China and Imperial Rome, but in Rome slavery played a much bigger role in society and government. With in Rome, there were times when the slaves occupied almost 35% of the total population. The slaves here were forced to do much of the farming and hard laboring. In Han China, slaves accounted for less than 1% of the total population. Slaves here were not forced to do anything because they would sign a contract with their boss saying what they can and can’t do. Both the Han and Roman Empire’s people had to be tested if they wanted to be able to participate in the government, but their tests were different. In Han China, people had to pass the Civil Service Exam and In Imperial Rome, it was a necessity to pass the Equities to be in the government. Next, both of these empires had different fates. Han China had corruption within the government and epidemic diseases like smallpox, measles, and possibly even the bubonic plague which killed many people. While these diseases traveled with traders and merchants across the Silk Road they did eventually find its way to Rome too, but that is not what ended the empire. Rome became so big it was too difficult to manage so it had to be split up. After emperor Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium in 312 C.E. the Roman Empire finally came to it’s end in 476 C.E. after many years of decline. Finally, Han China and Imperial Rome had different ways for their people to assume the task of being emperor. In Han China, people were born into being the empire. In more understanding terms, if a someone is born as a boy, and his father was the emperor, he would become the emperor when he became of age. In the Roman Empire however, the

Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) expanded much like the Roman Republic (509 BC- 27 AD) and both profitable in the process. Both relied on taxes levied and slaves for manual labor to support the economy. The Roman Republic did not have lineage when it came how to “rule” like the Hans and their predecessors. The Hans ruled with an aristocracy and the Roman Republic had a bureaucracy, but both focused on having a strong military. The two empires were both affected by religion, the Hans with Confucianism, which they would adapt in order the reaffirm their “hold” on their people. The Roman Republic was affected by Christianity, however its communication amongst its believers challenged Roman authority.

Just after the significant transition from B.C. to C.E. a mystical dynasty from China referred to as the Han subsided. Likewise, the Roman Empire which was quite powerful at one point, collapsed in this same era. The way these organizations collapsed can be compared in many ways but they also contrast in unique ways. One way they compare is they were both invaded by an outside territory. The Han dynasty had trouble with the Xiongnu invading, and the Roman Empire was invaded by the Huns who were led by Attila at the time. Also, the Han Dynasty found it difficult to enforce taxes on the wealthy, and in the Roman Empire the wealthy elites were not required to pay taxes either. The fall of these nations can be compared in a lot of ways but there are also many differences. A main difference was in the Han Dynasty they had the Yellow Turban Rebellion where there was an internal rebellion that was created by the peasants, but in the Roman Empire most conflict came externally, they didn’t really have a group of people rebelling. The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire were two organizations that collapsed around the same time and the way they collapsed can be compared and contrasted in many ways.