Roman and Chinese Empire

The People of the Roman and Chinese Empires There were many positive and negative factors that played a role in the status of both the Roman and Chinese Empires. Various factors allowed these empires to sustain a way of life, but also led to their demise. Throughout an empire, a governmental system developed relationships between the people of the empires and their leaders. Therefore the largest factor affecting the rise and fall of Rome and China’s empires was the relationship of the people and their superiors. An empire is defined as a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereignty or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom (Jordan). In a system such as an empire it can only be expected that there be conflict as well as continuity amongst the people, the empire. Empires need a good infrastructure; road systems for good access and easy trade. They must also have a currency, standard law, and also a strong military system (Jordan).
Rome was a small impoverished state that reduced themselves to stealing women and using them to reproduce (Strayer 109). The Roman Empire could adopt marriage contracts that stated anyone that married a Roman their children would become a Roman citizens; therefore increasing the size of their empire and their army (Strayer 115). Impoverished soldiers gathered land and loot to help their poor families out of poverty. Rome also was good because it had one common religion, Christianity. It had spread slowly and more commonly among the poor and lower class, but gained support from the emperors (Strayer 115). These positive aspects of the Roman Empire were not enough to stabilize it forever. The strong and powerful Roman Empire was a strong society, but lacked in some areas. There were a few people who took advantage of the empire and started a monopoly which forced free working farmers into town and into poverty (Strayer 111). Rome was an ever increasing empire that at some point in time led to heathenish action among the citizens. The soldiers would become drunk and enraged and steal and rape women of the enemy to prove their dominance. When soldiers the conquered other states they would turn some of the citizens into slaves that would be sold to roman farmers for labor (Reilly137). Rome, however powerful, soon lost its empire to constant warfare, greed, and poverty; and brought this great empire to a close. The Chinese empire is a very strong and intricate Empire. The Empire is solely ruled by one very powerful and respected Emperor. Some parts of their empire are still in action today (Jordan). China also had a very effective bureaucracy and a rapidly increasing agricultural output. Their soldiers carried iron weapons which helped them gain an advantage over the majority of their enemies (Strayer 114). The Chinese empire was a very religiously faithful Empire; they believed in the Mandate of Heaven, which states that if the emperor was maintaining a healthy relationship between the earth and heaven he was doing a good job (Jordan). The Chinese military was a strong brute force that was highly trained and very honorable. The Chinese also had a very highly valued skill in agriculture and developed many techniques on farming, such as irrigation, harrowing, ridging, seed drilling, and rolling, which helps any society prosper (Reilly 136). The Chinese, unlike the Romans, did not have many slaves they were very uncommon. Types of un-free labor, such as conscripts, were used instead.(Reilly 137). The Chinese had a strong political society that had harsh punishments and clear rules, known as Legalism (Strayer 112). Despite all of the good things in the Chinese Empire, there were also negative aspects. When conquering other countries or states, the Chinese were very brutal, killing all of whom got in their path such as, women, children, and infants. The Chinese also had a very uncommon language not used anywhere but around China (Jordan). The Chinese letters and words also known as characters were very hard to read because they mostly depicted words and ideas more than sounds (Strayer 116). Some of these problems barely hurt this empire that is still abroad to this present day. Empires that grew and grew soon destroyed themselves because they could not financially support the entire empire. Some of these empires were unable to keep the “common people” very happy, which soon led to peasants revolting and causing harm to the empire (Strayer 117). Also, religious beliefs in some of these empires caused some heated conflicts which led to separation of parts of the empire. If an empire grew too large and too over extended some families with large estates ignored paying taxes, which led too insufficient funds for the empire (Strayer 117). A successful empire consists of a fair, non-greedy ruler. The laws need to be enforced very strictly and harshly so that no slack or loose ends go unpunished. The ruler must not be land or war hungry but peaceful to stop from over expanding total destruction of the empire.

Works Cited
Jordan, Theresa. Lecture. Washington State University, Pullman. Fall 2009.
Reilly, Kevin, ed. Worlds of History. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2007.
Strayer, Robert W. Ways of the World. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2009.

Cited: Jordan, Theresa. Lecture. Washington State University, Pullman. Fall 2009. Reilly, Kevin, ed. Worlds of History. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2007. Strayer, Robert W. Ways of the World. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2009.