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The development of civilation
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Empires of the Classical Period When observing civilization during the classical period, similar patterns among the numerous civilizations, no matter the place, can be seen. Among these patterns are the formations and triumph of empires. Effective empires were able to stabilize the political, economic, and social institutions of a region, exhibit a flourishing culture, and were able to enforce their influence throughout. Two of the most successful empires during the classical period were the Roman and Gupta Empires. These two empires were able to achieve greatness that lasted for centuries, despite doing so in different ways. One of the main similarities between the Roman and Gupta Empires was their ability to last for an extensive amount …show more content…
Regionalism was the most used political feature of India, which resulted in an unstable political base. Agreements were made between locals who could maintain regional control and deferred to Gupta dominance. However, the Gupta kings would intermarry their families with the families of local princes in the region. The Gupta government created a taxation system, funded road building, promoted cultural activity, and sponsored the use of formal law codes. While there was no individual ruler who was as influential as the two great rulers of the Mauryan Dynasty, collectively the Gupta rulers were more impactful. In turn, no formal political theory developed in the Gupta government. Classical India would alternate between large empires and smaller kingdoms, but, under the Gupta Empire, it endured its greatest period of political …show more content…
Massive innovations including the production of calico, cashmere, and cotton, along with chemical advances in steel work assisted in India’s economic progress. India was also very successful in trade, and, as result, merchants received a slight bump in status. However, India still remained widely agricultural during the classical period. Roman society was somewhat progressive during the classical period. To be an upper-class Roman meant that you needed to be vigorously involved in politics and frequently discussed Roman affairs with peers. The upper-class also drove Rome’s desire to trade for luxury goods. Women also began to gain power during this time. While the husband and father was still the head of the house, and the oppression of women still occurred, women started to attain influence and even earned the right to own some
Two of the most powerful powers in the post-classical period were the Arabian and Byzantine empires. Each had different political, religious, and economic differences that defined their respective cultures, and managing to create vast empires that greatly rivaled each other.
In a period of four centuries the Han, Roman, and Gupta empires fell. First in China, then in the Mediterranean, and lastly in India. The civilizations deteriorated from foreign invasion, internal conflicts, and internal weakness that made it to where invaders could invade and cause the decline of these major civilizations.
All of the empires in chapter four certainly left their legacy. But what was their legacy about? As I see it, it was more about their destructive features than their ‘greatness’. Every empire had a rise and fall, the fall due to war or conflict. Rome and the Han Dynasty were the major two ‘empires’ with conflict. Next, Persia and the Greek empire’s conflicts.
During the era known as the time of the classical civilizations, there were numerous noticeable changes occurring in many civilizations and city-states around the world. In India, China, and Persia in particular, one could see the influence of religion and philosophy on the political and social structure of the time.
Roman men censured the fact that rich women were more concerned with their own figures and luxuries than with their families. Unlike the good, old-time matrons, according to the historian Tacitus around 100 CE, these modern women did not spend time with their childre...
The Classical Era was a time of greatness. Great empires rose to power, the likes of which the world had never seen before. In the west, Rome emerged as the dominant power. Originating in the Italian peninsula, the Roman Empire would eventually stretch from Britain to Mesopotamia and Egypt, a huge empire maintained through a vast network of roads. This empire was made of hundreds of different cultures. In the east, the Han dynasty ruled China, Vietnam, and northern Korea. Han China was united not only by government, but also by culture. Confucianism, a belief system focused on maintaining order, was extremely influential, as was another belief system called Daoism, to a lesser extent. During the Classical Age, the creation of powerful empires allowed for safer trade. Safer trade allowed huge amounts of cross-cultural interaction, trade and the sharing of ideas. But as other empires had done before, and as many did after, the empires of Rome and Han China fell. Rome and Han China had both similarities and differences. The most important similarity was plagues and diseases, and the most important difference was the destruction of culture.
The Roman Empire had a social system that was based on autonomy, heredity, citizenship and property as well as distinguishing men and women by their social status. The women had the lowest position in society which were depended on the status of their husbands and fathers. They lacked independence and ...
Throughout the ages myths, legends and fairytales have been used to teach people basic moral and educational lessons. For example, mothers and fathers use the childhood story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to teach their children that stealing and snooping is wrong. In the end, Goldilocks was either eaten or she ran away, depending on your bloodthirsty nature. By using this comparison between myths and reality the Romans were able to "control" their women, and to discourage them from vain, romantic and adulterous actions. Women themselves had a very low place in Roman society, and could be bought and sold like cattle or slaves. Despite their low legal status, women had immense power and influence over their fathers, brothers and husbands. These myths and legends were society's guidebook, which provided women with a manual about correct conduct.
Throughout the middle ages, many empires were working on expanding their territory, but it was not always a success unless they had the appropriate leadership to guide them in the right direction. The main empire that grew to extraordinary lengths is that of the Roman Empire. Through many conquests and battles and with an amicable government, it attained its fortune. However, on the other hand, there was another government that shared similarities with that of Rome; this was the empire of Charlemagne, otherwise known as the Carolingian Empire, but it failed to have a prosperous eternity.
These strengths were a strong foundation, standardization of many elements across the empire, and strong leaders who were able to effectively rule. The loss of these strengths would ultimately lead to the downfall of the Roman Empire. As time passed, the empire grew further from its original foundation, losing sight of many of its original attributes inherited from the Republic. In addition, they grew over-extended as an empire, making standardization very difficult if not virtually impossible. As future emperors attempted to extend aspects of the empire to these outlying areas, their power to do so was challenged by external influences. All of this caused an erosion of the cohesion which the standardization had brought, especially when the empire was divided between East and West. Lastly, as emperors stopped effectively using the strengths which had been used by past emperors, specifically the manipulation of the upper class and the Senate, the empire grew gradually weaker. Unable to manage such a massive empire virtually alone, even strong emperors were often left in weak positions, unable to deal with the frequent Germanic intrusions and military revolts. In short, many of the things which enabled the Roman Empire to survive for over 400 years were also the things which ultimately led to or enabled its
It is not a “black and white” simple answer; explaining the role of women is more complicated than that. During the early years of Rome, the role of the woman was minimal; however as Rome evolved so too did the place of women in Roman society. Rome, and its men, eventually grew to understand that women could be helpful, indeed, more than that, they could be a working partner in a successful family, or business, or even a city-state.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Women in Ancient Rome did not have equal legal status as their husbands, fathers, or any other male figures in the society. Women were not allowed to make legal transactions without her husband’s or father’s consent. This showed how men were superior and controlled the money in the family. A woman was permanently attached to her family of birth and her husband’s family, if she got married.
Families were the basis of Roman society while the dominant males-paterfamilias, “held absolute authority over his children” (Spielvogel 129) and others in his household . Roman citizens were classified with three names to differentiate them from other families, but women were usually only known by one. “Females shall remain in guardianship even when they have attained their majority”, (Spielvogel 119) upper-class women were never granted true freedom, but they started making breakthroughs and found ways around the “guardianship” of the males in their households.
Throughout history, there have been a variety of great and powerful empires. However, regardless of how powerful they were able to become, each empire had it's unfortunate downfall and ultimate ending. Perhaps two of the most powerful empires ever to exist and crumble were the Roman and Egyptian empires, both of which enjoyed long periods of wealth and success in their pasts. While the two empires operated on extremely different terms and conditions, there is undoubtedly good reason for comparison of their downfalls considering that the causes generally surrounded the fact that the empire suffered invasions. Of course, this was not the only reason in either case, but in both circumstances invasion played a significant role in the fall.
The Roman Empire, was the largest known civilization. The Roman Empire began when Augustus won the second great civil war and ended, when the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown by the Germanic King Odoacer. The empire continued in the East as the Byzantine Empire (Mark). The structure of the Empire was such that one individual had complete control over all matters of the state, The Emperor, of course there were various branches of the government that still served under the emperor and functioned on their own, dealing with the integral economic and social aspects of the Roman state.