Rome and China

Aims

This course aims to:

• encourage enhanced awareness of issues in the history of ancient empires

• develop awareness of theoretical and methodological issues in historical comparison

• encourage confidence and competence in gathering, handling and assessing arguments,
and evidence 

Content

2000 years ago, following centuries of war, 30 per cent of the world's people were subject to either the Romans or the Chinese. To support their peoples, both encouraged technological intensification. Between them, they counted the world's biggest cities. Yet, although both developed legal systems, their modes of government were quite unalike: while China pursued an ambitious vision of centralised regulation, the Romans depended on 'government without bureaucracy'. The Roman paradox can be explained, in part, by very successful propagation of ideas and, in part, on the other hand, by continuing prominence of the army. The Chinese, by contrast, gradually reduced the military's role in public affairs. Yet, although it looks as though that policy was fatal, the Romans eventually lost half of their Empire to invaders too; and, in the perspective of world history, it could be said that the two courses of events were determined by the same fundamental causes. Can we distinguish those causes?

Our explorations will begin with a general assessment of the scope for imperialism in the ancient world. Then, turning to the histories of Rome and China, we consider similarities and contrasts in the respective patterns of development. For both cases, it has long been widely assumed that events were driven by the visions and skills of exceptional leaders; but we must cross-examine this interpretation. We shall then be able to consider the contrasts in modes of government and the balances of public persuasion and force for sustaining the empires. Were they admirable achievements? Were they the effects of contradiction and weakness in either the capitals or the provinces? Was the whole surging struggle of their twin histories merely a response to opportunities or problems that embraced much more of the world than even their two 
vast territories?

Presentation of the course

Illustrated lectures will set out the principles and, guided by the Course Director, you will be encouraged to discuss them.

Course sessions

1. Ancient empires 
What were the main factors that shaped imperialism in the ancient world? Was ancient imperialism distinct from more modern forms?  

2. Qin and Han history 
How did the Qin and Han empires arise, how were they maintained, and how did they 
fall apart?

3. Chinese administration 
How did the Qin and the Han regulate their peoples? How did their institutions of
government develop?

4. Qin and Han ideology 
What was the contribution of ideas to the integration of the Qin and Han regimes? Did their ideas adapt appropriately to changing conditions? 

5. Qin and Han impacts 
How much difference did the Qin and Han regimes make to people's lives? New archaeological discoveries are allowing us to assess this issue more convincingly.

6. The Roman Empire's history 
How was the Roman Empire formed, how did it manage to survive for so long and what caused its so-called 'fall'? 

7. Roman administration 
What were the features and varieties of Roman administration and how did they develop?  

8. Roman ideology 
What was the contribution of ideas to the integration of the Roman Empire? Were all of the prevailing ideas equally effective?  

9. Roman impacts 
How much difference did the Roman Empire make to people's lives? That varied greatly from region to region. Archaeological discoveries allow us to assess this issue more convincingly.  

10. Ancient imperialism: strong or weak? 
How effective were the early Chinese and Roman empires? What do our answers show about how imperialism works?

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• enhanced awareness of factors and issues in the history of ancient empires

• awareness of the principal features of Roman and early Chinese imperialism

• awareness of theoretical and methodological issues in historical comparison

• enhanced competence and confidence in assembling, handling and assessing argument 
and evidence