The Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty had its fair share of similarities and differences. In both empires, learning and the arts were patronized by both the state and landowners. This stemmed from a belief that as long as they continued to observe the practices of their government, they would be able to run it successfully and would be able to live without fear of being challenged or overthrown. Han Dynasty and Roman Empire (Compare and Contrast) 8 August 2016 The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire vary in their political development and achievements. [38], The Han population is estimated to be around 60 million at around 2AD. These standards were all different in the individual states during the warring states period. [33][34][35], The Roman industry produced lead on the scale at the time of the Industrial Revolution, marking "the oldest large-scale hemispheric pollution ever reported". All the attacks from the barbarians caused problems in the military. [32] The estimate of 100 tons per iron producing facility would thus be a low-end estimate during a time when economic and political instability and other factors led to a steep decline in production. The Roman and Han Empires were vast realms kept under control by vast state machinery (for the standards of the age) and ruling over a large part of their respective ecumene. This caused the Han economy to retrograde to a partially feudal, local economy, which would lay the seeds for the four centuries of strife that followed the collapse of the Han[13][14]. They can also help and American audience combine more familiar knowledge, usually about Rome, with an appreciation for less familiar classical achievements, as in China. The Imperial Roman Empire from 31 B.C.E. Introduction. There were two major similarities between the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty: the large land areas under their control and the fact that both empires peaked at around the same time in history. The Essay on Comparing the Fall of Han China and Roman Empire Han China and Rome were two of the most powerful and popular empires of their time, but they fell like any other empire before them. Essays in Macro-Economic History", Oxford University Press, Milanovic, Branko; Lindert, Peter H.; Williamson, Jeffrey G. (Oct. 2007): "Measuring Ancient Inequality’, NBER Working Paper 13550, pp. The Romans had different engineering accomplishments, than that of the Han. Compared to the Han bureaucracy, the Roman empire was relatively under-administered.[55]. However, this was a fragile network; once the Pax Romana ended, the trade networks began to collapse as merchants could no longer be sure whether their goods would arrive safely. Li Bo, Zheng Yin, "5000 years of Chinese history", Inner Mongolian People's publishing corp ,Page 240-245. They had developed economies, relying mainly on agriculture and on commerce. 25–29. This spanned more than 250,000 miles (400,000 km) of roads, including more than 50,000 miles (80,500 km) of paved roads. As China's system was much more advanced than theirs, they gradually adopted to the Chinese system, abandoning their previous practices. Late during the Han dynasty, aristocrats' accumulation of land in massive quantities forced large numbers of peasants off their lands. The Roman’s developed two different codes of law, one that applied to citizens and another that applied to non-citizens. They possessed large, strong armies which gave a physical representation of their power and influence in the world around them. Even though the Roman and the Mongol Empires were located in separate continents, they shared some elements in common. They left institutions, technology and infrastructure that would influence successors for centuries to come. During this period, China was divided into a Northern area ruled by non-Han Chinese rulers that were gradually sinicizing, and a southern area ruled by Chinese rulers who were regarded by historians as legitimate. As written by Han authors, roads built during the Han were tamped down with metal rammers, yet there is uncertainty over the materials used; Joseph Needham speculates that they were rubble and gravel. The surplus of grain made available by these advances made the empire very stable compared to other ancient states; during the rule of the Jin emperor, it was recorded that so much grain and silver was stored in the imperial treasury that: the ropes used to hang the bags of coins were breaking apart due to the weight, and bags of grain which had been stored for several years were rotting because they had been neglected and not eaten. The Roman and Han Empires were the most powerful empires among the Classical Empires. Italy is considered the richest region, due to tax transfers from the provinces and the concentration of elite income in the heartland; its GDP per capita is estimated at having been around 40%[22] to 66%[23] higher than in the rest of the empire. Where the Chinese province of Shanxi produced 160,000 tons of iron per year in 1870, it only produced 50,000 tons of iron per year by 1898. The Roman civilization would never recover. [9][10]. [3]. In Han china, poetry, stories and books were very common; the elite was expected to be versed in prose and poetry. Many Han officials were appointed based on their ability to write essays explaining Confucian thought and how it applied to the administration of the Empire. Their leaders were also extremely involved in their governments. [72] The Grand_Canal_(China) was also maintained and expanded. The empire was so large that internal trade was initiated in the empire alongside external trade with other empires like the Han and the Classical Indian on the Silk Road. Hopkins, Keith (1995/6): "Rome, Taxes, Rents, and Trade". These two countries differed in how they fed their populations because of their cities arrangements and as a result of their planning. Women in poorer families did not have such luxury and often worked in the fields with their husbands or acted as entertainers. Hire a Professional to Get Your 100% Plagiarism Free Paper. Many of their differences in political progress stem from using different forms of government. The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: 漢朝) emerged as a principal power in East Asia in 221 BCE after the fall of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BCE. (Nov. 2009): "The Size of the Economy and the Distribution of Income in the Roman Empire". A rich nobleman, even though he may been born well, can by his acts be called shameful." Why is the Han Dynasty compared to the Roman Empire? This was not so much a religion as it was more a set of rules and guidelines for a person’s behavior, thoughts, and actions. The weakened Roman army could not cope with this threat; by 476, the Western Roman Empire had collapsed. [39] While the population size of the Roman empire has been traditionally given as 55-60 million, recent estimates of its demographic peak in the mid-2nd century AD range from 60-70 million ("low count") to over 100 million inhabitants ("high count").[40]. and the Han Dynasty of China from 206 B.C.E. Although agriculture was important, so was trade: An extensive road network, along with massive amounts of coinage, were issued to facilitate trade. Augustus was the political and religious leader of his people for the length of his reign. • The roman empire offered a kind of assimilation to its subject peoples. This process helped knowledgeable people become civil servants; because of this scholars became the most elite persons in Chinese society. These two empires have many similarities and differences between their political structures. Although a few rump states continue to exist and the Eastern empire tried several times to reconquer the west, Western Europe was securely in the hands of the barbarians. Scheidel gives this as a contributing cause to the relative paucity of comparative studies betwee… While the Roman rulers organized a state religion [45] and the emperors took a big part in it, the Han emperors were more secular; they acknowledged the existence of the gods and took part in ceremonies, but were for the most part unconcerned with them[46]. The network of roads built throughout China enabled trade on a large scale. While the Han Dynasty designed its leadership policies based on Confucian ideas and concepts, the Roman Empire imposed governance based on Roman laws and classical teachings (Ropp 36). Organizational Behavior and Structure of the Roman Empire in Gladiator; Roman Empire; Protestantism in the Holy Roman Empire; Compare & Contrast “the Story of an Hour” & “a Respectable Woman” - the Awakening of Female Consciousness; The Imperial Roman Empire from 31 B.C.E. They pioneered a political system and social structure in China that lasted for almost 2,000 years. Li Bo, Zheng Yin, "5000 years of Chinese history", Inner Mongolian People's publishing corp , 2001. Rome built the Pantheon using their newly invented building material, concrete. The Roman Empire had gradually been losing power to the Huns and other barbarian tribes like the Visigoths to the point where Rome was sacked in in 410 causing the western part of the Roman empire to be on the brink of collapse until the final blow was struck when a revolt killed the final emperor of the Western Roman Empire. At the bottom of society were convicts, beggars and slaves, who formed a small part of the population. Whereas, China built huge store houses, and filled them during years when there was plenty of food. ): Maddison, Angus (2007): "Contours of the World Economy, 1–2030 AD. Chinese civilization survives to the present time, while Roman civilization merged into the larger medieval European culture which adopted, amongst others, Christian faith, the Latin language and alphabet and Roman Law. Account of the Western Regions, Hou Han Shu, Gan Ying, <, Princeton University, Monetary systems of the Roman and Han Empires, <. The Han maintained and expanded the massive engineering works of their predecessor Qin. The economy was also kept stable during these years because they didn’t need to raise the price of grain, since they had stored away so much during the good years. [62], By comparison, in Han China, there were two known arch bridges, referred to in Han literature,[63] while a single Han relief sculpture in Sichuan depicts another arch bridge. Conversely, Rome lowered the number of their troops due to the peace they experienced. The peaceful times were a result of their successful trading. They have all the precious and rare things that come from the various foreign kingdoms. Two very famous classical empires were the Roman in the Mediterranean from 27BCE to 476CE and the Han in East Asia from 206BCE to 220CE. (1971). The Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China: A Comparison. Alternatively, the Han Dynasty adopted Confucianism. The Jin also attempted to farm unsettled land by moving large numbers of "Wu Hu" (Chinese:五胡) or conquered barbarian peoples into China itself. Many call Legalism a perfected form of government, while others claim that it is against all freedom and human rights. The overall Han Dynasty iron production figures are unknown. They laid down a legal code that forms the basis of most western legal codes. Han Empire-East-Inherits an already established empire/culture-Peaceful hereditary transfer of power (stable)-Most products are grown in China, less travel/trade-Xiongnu overtakes. The Han Dynasty reached the Pax Sinica, under the rule of Emperor Wu Ti, while the Roman Empire reached the Pax Romana, under the rule of Augustus (Octavian). Han China and Rome’s Empires had the same causes for their declines, but their effects are different. [64] The Han road system, mostly unpaved, was 22,000 miles. Governing them were the scholar-officials, educated men who were interpreters of the empire's official ideology, Confucianism. total production during the Zhou bronze age era?). Economic decline and political instability had impoverished the Empire, which was now dependent on barbarian mercenaries and in a state of constant revolt. Silk clothes were abundant and worn by all classes. The examination was tremendously rigorous, and whoever received the highest score was given the bureaucratic position. The Emperor Wu was astonished at the quality of the pork, and he asked the official how the pork was made so good. Roman Empire vs. Han Empire. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Roman Empire Vs. Han Dynasty Compare And Contrast Essay Both the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty were similar in their fall, in that they suffered through significant factors like Germanic Invasions that made them decline in power. To properly understand early Sino-Roman contact we have to look way back, to the time of Alexander the Great in ancient Greece. [28] The Roman production of copper, the basis for bronze and brass alloys, remained unsurpassed again until the Industrial Revolution. Scheidel, Walter; Friesen, Steven J. Shaowin emperor of Northern Wei, ruler of North China who himself was a non-Chinese, prohibited speaking of languages other than Chinese in his realm. Max Weber and Karl August Wittfogelboth wrote works comparing the ancient Mediterranean and China; however, their studies have had little influence on later historians of the ancient world. However, the position was dangerous; out of 22 emperors between Augustus and the third century, 15 died by murder or suicide. The influence of Roman law would long outlast the empire. They blend all sorts of fragrances, and by boiling the juice, make storax. The Chinese sovereign Wudi implemented Legalism at the beginning of his reign, giving him recognition throughout the ages. The deteriorating Roman economy forced the emperors to issue less valuable coins, creating massive inflation; by the end of the Roman empire, the silver coin had only 1/100th the silver content of the silver coin issued under Augustus, leading to economic chaos[75]. Confucianism also asserted that "A man, even though he may be poor, can by his acts be a gentleman. Rome’s trade routes were built using stone, which made it very easy for merchants to travel from one city to another over a vast amount of land. Meanwhile, Augustus of Rome, enforced a Republic government, in which the people voted for who they thought should become their representatives and officials. A Revision of the Estimates". Some Han generals such as Wei Qin and Hui Zhu Bing began their lives as servants' sons. The Renaissance a thousand years later marked the conscious return to the classical heritage. Once, the Emperor Wu visited the home of an official. In enhancing administration, both empires were divided into distinct territories, for instance, the Roman was divided into provinces whereas the Mongol was divided into four major divisions. Evidence of this prosperity was shown in an account of the Han official Gan Ying who stated about the Roman Empire: This country produces plenty of gold, silver, and precious jewels, luminous jade, bright moon pearls, fighting cocks, rhinoceroses, coral, yellow amber, opaque glass, whitish chalcedony, 8 red cinnabar, green gemstones, drawn gold-threaded and multi-coloured embroideries, woven gold-threaded net,delicate polychrome silks painted with gold, and asbestos cloth. These civilizations took different approaches on religion as well. However, in the later stages of the Han empire, a major problem arose: the Han landowners' accumulation of land, along with the state's taxes, resulted in a large horde of landless peasants from which costly rebellions occurred. One thing can be said however, about these two great nations, no matter how similar or different they may be, they both have left large footprints in history. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 2002. Hong, Sungmin; Candelone, Jean-Pierre; Patterson, Clair C.; Boutron, Claude F.: "Greenland Ice Evidence of Hemispheric Lead Pollution Two Millennia Ago by Greek and Roman Civilizations", in: Patterson, C. C.: "Silver Stocks and Losses in Ancient and Medieval Times", "The Traditional Chinese Iron Industry and Its Modern Fate" By Donald B. Wagner. However, the Romans organized their economy in a way that was hitherto unprecedented in the Mediterranean. Han vs. Rome The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire were both very prosperous during the time period of 200 B.C.E.-400 C.E. The Han Dynasty and Roman Empire were similar in their falls because they both fell to nomadic invaders, and because they both fell because of a decline in economic trade. Taxes on agriculture were reduced from 1/15 of crops during the Qin dynasty to 1/30 of crops; for a 12-year period, they were reduced to nothing at all. Chapter 7 summary of W.W. Norton & Company, Worlds apart, Worlds together, A History of the world, second edition. Then when years of droughts and poor crops came, there was enough food to feed everyone. Taipei: Caves Books Ltd. Liu, Xujie (2002). For wealthy families, life was good; they displayed their wealth in lavish meals, and lived in large homes in which women lived in the inner quarters. Although the Germans adopted many of their institutions, they could no longer be in any sense called "Roman". Every significant Roman town had public entertainment facilities such as theaters and amphitheaters, the most famous of which was the Colosseum in Rome. [81] The direct Roman line continued to rule the Eastern Roman Empire until 1453. While the elite could enjoy a relatively wealthy life and could expect to become officials and hold high positions, lower classes could not expect such luxury. There have been some rough estimates of Han and the Roman industry based on the metallurgical production of later dynasties and time periods. There's a formal political division that's gonna weaken both halves of the empire in terms of the resources available.