Civilizations Shared Commonalities In Ancient Civilization

The claim that ancient cultures and civilizations developed in isolation due to limited technology and travel overlooks significant evidence of shared practices and institutions. Despite the distances and cultural variations, ancient societies shared fundamental aspects of social organization, governance, and labor systems. By examining examples from the textbook, we can argue this notion and demonstrate how civilizations shared commonalities in areas such as patriarchy, social hierarchy, conquest, and slavery, challenging the idea of isolation.

Patriarchy, characterized by male dominance in social, political, and economic spheres, was a general feature of ancient civilizations worldwide. Despite geographical distances, civilizations like
Empires such as the Roman, the Persian, and the Axum Empire expanded their territorial boundaries through military conquest, establishing huge networks of political and cultural influence. For example, the Roman Empire was built upon conquest and military campaigns that expanded its territorial reach across large areas in Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Roman legions were notorious for their discipline and organization, playing a central role in conquering neighboring peoples and territories, and combining Roman leadership over diverse regions and cultures. Similarly, the Persian military, characterized by its formidable cavalry and innovative tactics, facilitated the rapid expansion of the Persian territory across the Near East, Central Asia, and parts of Europe. Captured peoples were often integrated into the empire, which contributed to its cultural and ethnic diversity. Another example would be the Axum Empire. They had successful campaigns against neighboring territories and kingdoms which expanded the empire's influence across the Red Sea region and beyond. The propensity for conquest and expansion shared characteristics among each civilization. No matter how far they were, they all expanded due to military conquest. These societies exhibited similar ambitions for territorial boost, reflecting the universal human desire for power, prestige, and
Slaves were acquired through various means, including warfare, trade, and debt bondage, and were employed in various sectors of the economy like agriculture, mining, and household services. Despite regional variations in the treatment and status of slaves, the foundation of slavery was spread throughout ancient civilizations, highlighting a commonality that challenges the notion of exoticism and isolation. For example, in ancient Greece and Rome, slaves constituted a significant portion of the population and played essential roles in the functioning society, from laboring in the fields to serving as household