Han & Rome Empires: Han & Rome Empires: Decline of EmpiresDecline of Empires

THE EARLY HAN DYNASTYTHE EARLY HAN DYNASTY Liu Bang Liu Bang

A general, persistent man, a methodical planner A general, persistent man, a methodical planner Restored order, established dynasty, 206 B.C.E. Restored order, established dynasty, 206 B.C.E.

Han was long-lived dynastyHan was long-lived dynasty Martial Emperor (141-87 B.C.E.) Martial Emperor (141-87 B.C.E.)

Han Wudi ruled for 54 years Han Wudi ruled for 54 years Pursued centralization and expansionPursued centralization and expansion

HAN STATECRAFTHAN STATECRAFT Han centralizationHan centralization

Adopted Legalist policies Adopted Legalist policies Built an enormous bureaucracy to rule the empire Built an enormous bureaucracy to rule the empire Continued to build roads and canals Continued to build roads and canals Levied taxes on agriculture, trade, and craft Levied taxes on agriculture, trade, and craft

industries industries Imperial monopolies on production of iron and salt Imperial monopolies on production of iron and salt

Established Confucian educational system for training Established Confucian educational system for training bureaucrats bureaucrats

Confucianism as the basis of the curriculum in imperial university Confucianism as the basis of the curriculum in imperial university Thirty thousand students enrolled in the university in Later Han Thirty thousand students enrolled in the university in Later Han

Han imperial expansion Han imperial expansion Invaded and colonized northern Vietnam and Korea Invaded and colonized northern Vietnam and Korea Extended China into central Asia Extended China into central Asia

Han organized vast armies to invade Xiongnu territory Han organized vast armies to invade Xiongnu territory Han enjoyed uncontested control in east and central AsiaHan enjoyed uncontested control in east and central Asia

HAN SOCIAL STRUCTUREHAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE• Patriarchal, patrilocal households averaged five inhabitantsPatriarchal, patrilocal households averaged five inhabitants• Large, multigenerational compound families also developed Large, multigenerational compound families also developed • Women's subordination (Ban Zhao Women's subordination (Ban Zhao Admonitions for Women)Admonitions for Women) • Cultivators were the majority of the populationCultivators were the majority of the population• Differences apparent between noble, lower class womenDifferences apparent between noble, lower class women• Scholar bureaucrats: Confucian trained bureaucratsScholar bureaucrats: Confucian trained bureaucrats

• Officials selected through competitive testingOfficials selected through competitive testing• Used to run the government in Early HanUsed to run the government in Early Han

• Scholar GentryScholar Gentry• Confucian bureaucrats intermarried with Confucian bureaucrats intermarried with

landed elitelanded elite• New class comes to dominate local, national New class comes to dominate local, national

officesoffices• Strongest in late HanStrongest in late Han

• Merchants held in low social esteemMerchants held in low social esteem

TRADE AND COMMERCETRADE AND COMMERCE Iron metallurgy: Farming tools, utensils, and weaponsIron metallurgy: Farming tools, utensils, and weapons State monopolies on liquor, salt and iron State monopolies on liquor, salt and iron Silk textiles Silk textiles

Sericulture spread all over China during the Han Sericulture spread all over China during the Han High quality Chinese silk became a prized commodityHigh quality Chinese silk became a prized commodity Traded as far afield as India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Rome Traded as far afield as India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Rome

Paper production Paper production Invented probably before 100 C.E. Invented probably before 100 C.E. Began to replace silk and bamboo as writingBegan to replace silk and bamboo as writing

materials materials Population growth Population growth

Increased from twenty to sixty million from Increased from twenty to sixty million from 220 B.C.E. to 9 C.E. 220 B.C.E. to 9 C.E.

Despite light taxation, state revenue was Despite light taxation, state revenue was largelarge

Silk Road established: horses for silkSilk Road established: horses for silk

Han and Roman Empire SimilaritiesHan and Roman Empire Similarities Highly stratified societies.Highly stratified societies. Patriarchal families.Patriarchal families. Confucianism, Confucianism,

pater familias.pater familias. Agricultural base:Agricultural base:

free peasants-small free peasants-small

farms or tenant farmers, farms or tenant farmers, Heavy dependencyHeavy dependency

on slavery and latifundias. on slavery and latifundias.

Han and Roman Empire SimilaritiesHan and Roman Empire Similarities

Educated civil service.Educated civil service. Confucian trained Confucian trained

scholar bureaucrats, scholar bureaucrats, civic responsibility.civic responsibility.

Highly centralized stateHighly centralized state

dynastic, empires withdynastic, empires with

appearance of limits appearance of limits

through Senate.through Senate.

Han and Roman (continued)Han and Roman (continued)

Multicultural empires—most conquered Multicultural empires—most conquered assimilated, citizenship offered to best, assimilated, citizenship offered to best, extension of Roman law and buildingextension of Roman law and building

Extensive road systems Extensive road systems and urban communitiesand urban communities

Subordinated women Subordinated women Armies maintain the Armies maintain the

empire internally and empire internally and externally.externally.

Buddhism traveled the Silk Buddhism traveled the Silk Road to ChinaRoad to China

Buddhism arose in India in Buddhism arose in India in the 6the 6thth Century BCE. Century BCE.

Gradually Buddhism made Gradually Buddhism made its way with the merchants its way with the merchants along the silk roads to Iran, along the silk roads to Iran, central Asia, China, and central Asia, China, and southeast Asia.southeast Asia.

As Buddhism spread north As Buddhism spread north from India into central Asia from India into central Asia and China, both it and and China, both it and Hinduism began to attract a Hinduism began to attract a following.following.

Firmly established by 1Firmly established by 1stst Century BCE.Century BCE.

The Spread of Buddhism, The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism and ChristianityHinduism and Christianity

Buddha Transformed as Buddha Transformed as He Traveled WestHe Traveled West

Indian Buddha

Decline of EmpireDecline of Empire

HAN TROUBLESHAN TROUBLES Expeditions consumed the empire's surplus Expeditions consumed the empire's surplus

Raised taxes and confiscated land of some wealthy individuals Raised taxes and confiscated land of some wealthy individuals Taxes, land confiscations discouraged investment Taxes, land confiscations discouraged investment Much of defense consumed on defending against nomads Much of defense consumed on defending against nomads

Social tensions, stratification between the poor and richSocial tensions, stratification between the poor and rich

Problems of land distribution Problems of land distribution Early Han supported land redistributionEarly Han supported land redistribution Economic difficulties forced some small landowners to sell property Economic difficulties forced some small landowners to sell property Some sold themselves or their families into slavery Some sold themselves or their families into slavery Lands accumulated in the hands of a few Lands accumulated in the hands of a few No land reform, because Han needed cooperation of large landownersNo land reform, because Han needed cooperation of large landowners

The reign of Wang Mang The reign of Wang Mang

A powerful Han minister A powerful Han minister Dethroned the baby emperor, claimed imperial title himself, 9 C.E. Dethroned the baby emperor, claimed imperial title himself, 9 C.E. Land reforms - the "socialist emperor" Land reforms - the "socialist emperor" Overthrown by revolts, 23 C.E.Overthrown by revolts, 23 C.E.

LOSS OF THE MANDATELOSS OF THE MANDATE The Later Han Dynasty (25-220 C.E.) The Later Han Dynasty (25-220 C.E.)

Overthrown of Wang Mang restores HanOverthrown of Wang Mang restores Han New Han much weakenedNew Han much weakened Rule often through large families, gentryRule often through large families, gentry Rise of Eunuchs in government as new source of powerRise of Eunuchs in government as new source of power The Yellow Turban Uprising (Daoist Revolt)The Yellow Turban Uprising (Daoist Revolt)

Rulers restored order but did not address problem of landholding Rulers restored order but did not address problem of landholding Yellow Turban uprising inflicted serious damage on the Han Yellow Turban uprising inflicted serious damage on the Han

Collapse of the HanCollapse of the Han Factions at court paralyzed the central government Factions at court paralyzed the central government Han empire dissolvedHan empire dissolved China was divided into regional kingdomsChina was divided into regional kingdoms Devastated by plagueDevastated by plague Invaded by Huns and other nomadic forcesInvaded by Huns and other nomadic forces

ROMAN Decline: ROMAN Decline: GovernmentGovernment

•Structure•Imperial system•Emperorship not hereditary•Emperor selected arbitrarily•Elite form imperial bureaucracy

•The Crisis•Succession crises, many civil wars• Many military coups •Declining Loyalty to State•Politicized generals•Corruption, graft common

• Eastern, Western Empires too much to manage..

ROMAN Decline: MilitaryROMAN Decline: Military•Structure

• “All volunteer army”• Poor, foreigners, criminals• Citizens avoid military service

•Problems• Politicized Generals, Incompetent• Troops loyal to paying leader• Troops largely “barbarians”

• Persia • Major enemy• Romans fight wrong force• Roman troops in East

ROMAN Decline: EconomicsROMAN Decline: Economics• Economic Structure

• Capitalistic, mercantilistic• Some command economy• Commercial agriculture: grains, export• Heavy reliance on slave labor• Industry not wide-spread

• Problems • Economic Stagnation, collapse• Agriculture disrupted, famines• Currency devalued, worthless• Trade, commerce collapse• Peasants overtaxed• Feudalism on Rise

ROMAN Decline: ReligionROMAN Decline: Religion

• Original Roman Faith Traditions• Nationalistic, ritualistic• Unemotional

• Rise of Philosophies, Mystery Religions • Rise of Christianity

• Christianity spreading, vibrant• Attracts poor, women, slaves• Good Romans enter Church

• Problem for Rome• Loyalty to God, church, faith• Christians live in East, urban areas • Church is state within a state

ROMAN Decline: ROMAN Decline: The Germans The Germans

• Homeland• Overpopulated, hunger for land• Migrated to East, SE Europe • Spread of agriculture

• Tribal Structure• War-like kings led tribes • Well-led, loyalty to leader• Rule of king not rule of law

• Interactions: War, Faith, Diplomacy•Enjoyed war, part of their code•Superior in cavalry, archers•Often strong Arian Christians•Allied with Huns, Romans•Turned on both in end• Kings assign lands after conquest to loyal supporters

Decline of EmpiresDecline of Empires 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

Decline of Empires Decline of Empires (continued)(continued)

Administrative problemsAdministrative problems

succession—court intrigue, barrack emperorssuccession—court intrigue, barrack emperors

failing bureaucracies—corruption of examination failing bureaucracies—corruption of examination system, lack of civic responsibilitysystem, lack of civic responsibility

Roman—bread and circuses to forestall revoltsRoman—bread and circuses to forestall revolts Eroding economies—decline in trade when roads Eroding economies—decline in trade when roads

not repaired or safenot repaired or safe Religion—Christianity a factor in the decline of Religion—Christianity a factor in the decline of

Rome, but not Buddhism in the decline of the Han Rome, but not Buddhism in the decline of the Han Dynasty.Dynasty.

Decline of EmpiresDecline of Empires (continued)(continued)

Plagues—hit both empires hard, especially Plagues—hit both empires hard, especially in cities of Roman empirein cities of Roman empire

Pressure from nomads—Huns, Xiongnu, Pressure from nomads—Huns, Xiongnu, GermanicGermanic

Why did the west fall harder?Why did the west fall harder? More multiethnic Han Chinese—a true nation that More multiethnic Han Chinese—a true nation that

can endure beyond the dynasty.can endure beyond the dynasty. In Roman empire most live outside Italy.In Roman empire most live outside Italy. State and society not bonded together with the State and society not bonded together with the

same glue—China, Confucianism offers both order same glue—China, Confucianism offers both order for family, society and state—not true of Romansfor family, society and state—not true of Romans

Better assimilation of “barbarians” by China, Better assimilation of “barbarians” by China, Germanic dismembered Roman empire, while Germanic dismembered Roman empire, while nomads absorbed by Chinesenomads absorbed by Chinese

Common language—Latin never really replaced Common language—Latin never really replaced Greek in much of the empireGreek in much of the empire

Why did the western Roman Why did the western Roman empire fall and not the eastern?empire fall and not the eastern?

Deep, engrained civilization in the east—Greeks and beforeDeep, engrained civilization in the east—Greeks and before East less impacted by nomadic invasion—maybe because East less impacted by nomadic invasion—maybe because

many enduring cities, large populationsmany enduring cities, large populations Tribes on eastern borders were disorganized and unmotivatedTribes on eastern borders were disorganized and unmotivated After separation of empire, east no longer has to send any After separation of empire, east no longer has to send any

help to Westhelp to West Even with changing political structure , little threat to social, Even with changing political structure , little threat to social,

economic or cultural continuityeconomic or cultural continuity No cities in the westNo cities in the west German soldiers fill the ranks of Roman legions German soldiers fill the ranks of Roman legions When west cut from wealth of East, the tax base dwindledWhen west cut from wealth of East, the tax base dwindled

ESSAY: What were 5 causes for the collapse of the What were 5 causes for the collapse of the Classical Empires of Rome, and Han China? How were their Classical Empires of Rome, and Han China? How were their collapses similar and different? Which region had the hardest collapses similar and different? Which region had the hardest fall and why?fall and why?

ESSAY: Which empire’s fall, Han or Rome, had Which empire’s fall, Han or Rome, had the greatest effect on the Classical World?the greatest effect on the Classical World? Why?Why?

C/C the collapse of C/C the collapse of TWO of the following empires in the Classical period.Han China (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.)Mauryan/Gupta India (320 B.C.E. – 550C.E.)Imperial Rome (31 B.C.E. – 476 C.E.)