What Are The Similarities Between Roman Civilization And Zhou-Han China

Roman civilization and Zhou-Han China (same time period):

1. A Roman City in Ancient China
-Roman empire ppl immigrated to China, Turkestan (convincing?), pp. 1
-Roman: never succeeded in subduing (conquer) the Silk Road army?
-Military: Roman VS Parthians, pp. 3
-Military glory: the most wanted of Romans

2. The Roman way
-Roman: a true comedy of manners, pp. 13
-Roman’s literature influenced by Greece
-Roman’s literature appeared during 3rd century A.D., after the First Punic War, pp, 14
-Sense for poetry was not strong in Roman ppl
-Plautus
-Carthage had been twice defeated and the foundations were solidly laid of the Roman civilization, pp. 15
-Athens: democracy, but upon slavery (prerequisite to civilized life in the ancient
18
-Rome’s comedy was so important to us (according to writer), pp. 19
-2 comedians: Menander and Aristophanes
-Republican Rome: (virtues) Discipline, frugality, hardihood, incomparable dignity, ranks of fighting men , simple life, little on heroic heights, pp. 23
-

3. The Roman Empire – A Very Short Introduction, by Christopher Kelly
-Ch. 1 Brutal process of conquest (when establish the empire)
-Roman: warrior state, always won, pp. 4
-around middle of 3rd Century BC, dominant in w. Mediterranean
-merchants: trade with Egypt, Lebanon in luxury goods; Britain for tin; African coast for ivory and gold, pp. 5
-Punic wars: limit the Romans; 1st: Sicily, 2nd: severest defeat on romans, Hannibal (X roman) conquered Italy; 3rd: complete destruction of Sicily(pp.6)
-roman republic: a degree a popular participation in politics + unabashed
1
-Qin capital city: Xianyang, N of Weishui River, built S of the river because the land here was more level and wider, also better access to the vast areas east of Hangu Gate
-Under Emperor Hui Di: city wall was constructed
-There were twelve city gates, three to each wall, like Qingmingmen, Xi’anmen, Anmen, pp. 2
-Street system, drainage system, palaces, armory, market, pp. 4
-Royal parks: birds, animals for imperial hunt; several dozen resort palaces were built, pp. 9
-Ritual structures: Ming Tang, ritual hall where emperor pronounced the new year, officiated at festivities, performed rituals, received feudal lords

-ch. 2: Luoyang – capital city of eastern han
-also Zhou city of Chengzhou, pp. 29
-Emperor Gang Wu, founder of Western Han: embarked on a project to build a new city wall, expand boundaries of the old city
-City wall: over 7m high, pp. 30
-City gates, pp. 31
-City streets: 24 streets recorded in Xu Hanshu “Treatise on the bureaucracy”, pp. 32
-Luoyang strategic location: also reestablished during Wei dynasty by Cao Cao, pp. 35
-Still have Ming Tang, also have Ling Tai(spirit terrace) for ritual purpose, pp.