Han China And Rome Comparison Essay

e west and the east, empires dominated the world from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The main one in each area being the Roman Empire in the west, and the Chinese empire, or specifically the Han dynasty, in the east. While these two empires are thousands of miles apart and nearly one hundred years, there are many similarities between the two. The most significant difference between the two empires is the basis of government ideals.
The Han dynasty was the most influential dynasty in Chinese history and led to china becoming a country as we know it today. They extended Chinese rule from southern Mongolia to northern Vietnam and as far west as Nepal. One of the main reason for the prosperity and solidity of the Han dynasty was the relationship between the imperial family and the elite. Each group supported each other economically as well as socially, leading to a stable and prosperous empire.
In order to secure support, the emperor provided land grants followers who had helped him come to power
This provided the Han with tax revenue. Combine this with a wide variety of other revenue from tribute, silk, iron, salt, and wine and a powerful economy emerged, which led to a strong military. At the base of Han society was a free peasant class who owned and worked their own land. These peasants could be rewarded for their productivity.
Another reason for the great success of the Han dynasty was their army. Numbering over one million men, it was able to protect the borders of the empire as well as the Chinese trade across the Silk Road. This army was able to expand Chinese territory from Korea to Vietnam. This army was also used to counter nomads from the north, dividing them and forcing them to either surrender or flee. After these nomads were defeated there was a prosperous time in the Han dynasty’s history. Due to the nomads defeat, long distance trade flourished and money began to flow into