1. Classical Empires Han Dynasty, Roman Empire
Characteristics of Empires
Greek and Roman Traditions
Han and Roman Empires
Reasons for Decline

2. THE CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS (1000 BCE - 600 CE)
During this era world history was shaped by the rise of several large civilizations that grew from areas where the earlier civilizations thrived.
1. They kept better and more recent records, so historical information about them is much more abundant.
2. The classical societies provide many direct links to today's world, so that we may refer to them as root civilizations, or ones that modern societies have grown from.
3. Classical civilizations were expansionist, deliberately conquering lands around them to create large empires.

3. COMMON FEATURES OF CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS
The three areas of classical civilizations developed their own beliefs, lifestyles, political institutions, and social structures. However, there were important similarities among them:
Patriarchal family structures - Like the river valley civilizations that preceded them, the classical civilization valued male authority within families, as well as in most other areas of life.
Agricultural-based economies - Despite more sophisticated and complex job specialization, the most common occupation in all areas was farming.
Complex governments - Because they were so large, these three civilizations had to invent new ways to keep their lands together politically. Their governments were large and complex, although they each had unique ways of governing
Expanding trade base - Their economic systems were complex. Although they generally operated independently, trade routes connected them by both land and sea.

4. Characteristics of Classical Empires
Powerful military
Effective government bureaucracy
Control large territory-multiethnic and multicultural
Uniform currency and weights and measures
Service of citizens
Military technology
Uniform legal codes
Public works
Lavish public monuments
Patronize the arts and scholarship

5. Han China
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7. Culture/Religion Social Structure Political Structure Family
China (about 500 BCE to 600 CE)
Culture/Religion
Zhou:
Han:
Political Structure
Social Structure
Family
Patriarchal
Merchants
Rural/Urban
Slavery

8. Social Structure Culture Political Structure
China (about 500 BCE to 600 CE)
Culture
Confucianism developed during late Zhou; by Han times, it dominated the political and social structure.
Legalism and Daoism develop during same era.
Buddhism appears, but not influential yet
Threats from nomads from the south and west spark the first construction of the Great Wall; clay soldiers, lavish tomb for first emperor Shi Huangdi
Chinese identity cemented during Han era: the "Han" Chinese
Han - a "golden age" with prosperity from trade along the Silk Road; inventions include water mills, paper, compasses, and pottery and silk-making; calendar with days
Capital of Xi'an possibly the most sophisticated, diverse city in the world at the time; many other large cities
Political Structure
Zhou - emperor rules by mandate of heaven, or belief that dynasties rise and fall according to the will of heaven, or the ancestors. Emperor was the "son of heaven."
Emperor housed in the forbidden city, separate from all others
Political authority controlled by Confucian values, with emperor in full control but bound by duty
Political power centralized under Shi Huangdi - often seen as the first real emperor
Han - strong centralized government, supported by the educated shi (scholar bureaucrats who obtained positions through civil service exams)
Social Structure
Family basic unit of society, with loyalty and obedience stressed
Wealth generally based on land ownership; emergence of scholar gentry
Growth of a large merchant class, but merchants generally lower status than scholar-bureaucrats
Big social divide between rural and urban, with most wealth concentrated in cities
Some slavery, but not as much as in Rome
Patriarchal society reinforced by Confucian values that emphasized obedience of wife to husband

9. Decline of Han China Empires too big—costly to defend the frontiers
Burden of taxes on the poor, some flee to evade taxes, as maintaining the grows more costly—taxes go up, few new sources of revenue, religious groups and nobility exempt
Administrative problems - succession—court intrigue, failing bureaucracies—corruption of examination system, lack of civic responsibility

10. Eroding economies—decline in trade when roads not repaired or safe
Religion – Buddhism moves in but doesn’t really conflict with culture – but it is still an itch
Population decline - plagues, hit China hard, especially in cities
Pressure from nomads—Xiongnu

11. Stop for now

12. Greco-Roman Traditions
Active participation in politics
Greek city state, Roman republic
Aristocratic assemblies—republic?— rule by the best—philosopher kings---serve as a check on executive power
Rule by law—codified, equitable law

13. Han and Roman Empire Similarities
Highly stratified societies
Patriarchal families—Confucianism, pater familias
Agricultural base—free peasants-small farms or tenant farmers, heavy dependency on slavery and latifundias
Educated civil service—Confucian trained scholar bureaucrats, civic responsibility
Highly centralized state—dynastic, empires with appearance of limits through Senate

14. Han and Roman continued
Multicultural empires—most conquered assimilated, citizenship offered to best, extension of Roman law and building
Extensive road systems and urban communities
Subordinated women
Armies maintain the empire—internal and external

15. Comparisons China Rome
Well organized bureaucracy founded on Confucian ideals and education
Emphasis on family, ancestors: patriarchal
Reliance on gentry as support: good marriages afforded women more rights
Engineering: roads, canals, the Great Wall
Inventions: wheelbarrow, gunpowder, printing press, compass, paper, paper currency (all before 1000 ce)
Religion: Confucianism, Taoism, native gods, introduction of Buddhism
Rome
Well organized bureaucracy founded on Roman law and classical learning
Emphasis on family: pater familias
Reliance on patricians: women gained power and property rights within families
Engineering: roads, aqueducts, amphitheatres, domes, sewage systems, central heating
Inventions: concrete, the arch (probably Etruscan), insulae (apartment buildings)
Religion: Emperor as god, paganism, mystery religions, introduction of Christianity

16. Decline of Empires
Han and Roman

17. Decline Empires too big—costly to defend the frontiers
Burden of taxes on the poor, some flee to evade taxes, as maintaining the grows more costly—taxes go up, few new sources of revenue, religious groups and nobility exempt
Slavery in Roman so oppressive less productive, fewer new sources, less technological development

18. Administrative problems
succession—court intrigue, barrack emperors
failing bureaucracies—corruption of examination system, lack of civic responsibility
Roman—bread and circuses to forestall revolts
Eroding economies—decline in trade when roads not repaired or safe
Religion—Christianity a factor, but Buddhism not

19. Plagues—hit both hard, especially in cities of Roman empire
Pressure from nomads—Huns, Xiongnu, Germanic

20. Why did the west fall harder?
More multiethnic Han Chinese—a true nation that can endure beyond the dynasty, In Roman empire most live outside Italy
State and society not bond together with the same glue—China, Confucianism offers both order for family, society and state—not true of Romans
Better assimilation of “barbarians” by China, Germanic dismembered Roman empire, while nomads absorbed by Chinese
Common language—Roman never really replaced Greek in much of the empire

21. Why western Roman empire and not eastern?
Deep, engrained civilization in the east—Greeks and before
East less impacted by nomadic invasion—maybe because many enduring cities, large populations
Tribes on eastern borders were disorganized and unmotivated
After separation of empire, east no longer has to send any help to West
Even with changing political structure , little threat to social, economic or cultural continuity
No cities in the west
German soldiers fill the ranks of Roman legions
When west cut from wealth of East, the tax base dwindled