Comparative Essay Imperial Rome Han

Throughout the classical period, many civilizations, and empires have grown, like Greece, the Mayan empire, and the Gupta Empire. Although many have rose, and became greater, a few empires also got destroyed, including some of the same that grew. Near the end of the classical period, two of the largest empires of Ancient Europe and Asia, Rome and Han China collapsed. Even though the Han China Empire only lasted 200 years, and Rome around 900, they were the largest empires in the classical period. Each empire had many different emperors, and rulers, yet they continued to fail in restoring the empires. During the Classical era, the Roman Empire and Han China both had problems with epidemics, and corrupt leaders; However, they also divided they're kingdoms differently, and fell from different conflicts.

Both Han China, and the Roman Empire had problems with epidemics, and corrupt leaders. In the beginning, when the Silk Roads were first developed, all the civilizations saw it as a great way to trade, which it was. It was also great for the spread of culture, technology, and mixing many religions to create new beliefs. It was going great, until diseases broke out, and started to spread quickly all over the silk roads and back inside the cities. Because of the epidemics, cities tried to refrain from sending merchants, and traders out because they could get so easily infected. This caused all of the civilizations to become more independent, so they wouldn’t need to go outside of their own walls to get what they needed as much as they did originally; which now stopped all the spreading of culture, and made some of the civilizations weak. The emperors started to become very brutal, and crazy. A lot of them were killed, and plotted against by angry citizens who couldn’t put up with them, or by leaders who were corrupt, and wanted to be emperor. Mainly consisted of generals, sons of emperors, and other rich romans that were all trying to outsmart the other, while trying to survive in the current corruption of the Roman government. These corrupt leaders were a result of 25 out of 26 dead roman emperors in a span of 50 years. In Han China it wasn’t as obvious, but there were many cases of backstabbing, and infighting between officials, and others. This mainly consisted of peasant rebellions, and outbreaks within the cities for many reasons.

Although Imperial Rome and Han China had some similar problems they also divided they're kingdoms differently, and had different conflicts. Both empires were huge, with very large populations and social classes. With many invasions by outside tribes and some outbreaks from the inside of Rome, they decided it would be best to divide they're empire into two parts, but remained one central ruler. They then divided each half into two subgroups. This would help the empire control more easily, and efficiently. It took away from the central power, but also spread the army throughout the whole empire, instead of having one central army, which would put a big delay on defending they're cities. Han china, having not as big of a population, or empire, decides to also divide they're empire for easier control. They divide it into three separate kingdoms, instead of two or four like Rome. Unfortunately, these kingdoms only lasted a few years before it finally collapsed, and were over taken by landowners. Both empires also faced many conflicts, internal and external. Nomads entered, and effected both empires; however, in Rome they invaded, and tried to overpower them, while in Han China they came in peacefully. Partially due by the corrupt leadership, Han China had a lot of peasant rebellions against the government, due to land distribution, and various other reasons. Also with the Germanic tribes pushing on both empires, it was hard to prosper. Rome had invasions from the Germanic tribes, because of the pressure of Attila, and the Huns, on the tribes to retreat. If Attila would of went straight for Rome, Rome would of defended they're empire easily, but because of Attila’s idea to push the Germanic tribes in before them, Rome eventually collapsed. Han China didn't fall from attacks, or invasions, but because of its own internal problems to keep a stable government that everyone would cooperate with, and that they could easily control.

Summarily, Han china and the Roman Empire collapsed, not from a greater army, or greater power than themselves, but from their own failure to contain and protect such a large civilization. Once they divided they're empire, each part slowly fell. In Han China, each part was taken over but, in Rome, one half fell, while the other stayed strong for a little longer, until they both fell. Now we will let these lessons remind us how important it is to maintain control of the little things, like defense, land distribution, corrupted leadership, and many other things these civilizations failed to do, which caused the downfall of the Imperial Roman Empire, and the large Han Dynasty.