Classical+Civilizations+and+Empires-+China+and+Rome+(300+B.C.E.-300+C.E.)

Similarities: Differences:
 * China and Rome both started as small city-states, but eventually they upgraded into major empires consisting of more then fifty million people in an area of over one and a half million square miles
 * During this period the Silk Road developed across Asia from China, while the Romans were complaining of the prices of the silk. Because of this, it was common to see Roman coins spread throughout China.
 * The expansions of both civilizations were because of their strong political systems, and their rural manpower nourished by advanced argriculture and disciplined infantry.
 * The Romans and Chinese also, sought out a solution which were produced by the shared values, institutions, vocabulary, and reactions of paedia and Confucian beliefs.
 * The challenge faced by both of these societies were to maintain political skills, social flexibility, economic prosperity, and cultural syncretism, underpinned by military effectiveness.
 * Both of these civilizations were based off of aristocratic societies.
 * Built roads to help to facilitate military flexibility
 * Both started in the 3rd century B.C.E.
 * Because of the size they developed the roads in order for military and just regular movement within their civilizations.
 * Were both patriarchal societies.
 * In Rome, the main crop was wheat or barley or oats, while in China the main crop was millet.
 * There agricultural systems also differentiated from each other.
 * They both had different languages.
 * The Chinese language was really complex and depended on the context and audience to show the meaning.
 * Animals were crucial to Rome. The Chinese did not breed animals for "use"
 * The Romans means of communication were more integrated than the Chinese.
 * The fall of Rome was because of a social revolution, while China fell because of the "aristocratic" revolution which was over military and financial asphyxiation.
 * Rome believed in different types of mythology, where as the Chinese believed in philosophies.
 * The Chinese had excellent territory for agriculture, where Rome wasnt as lucky and they had to treat their land after each time they harvested.
 * Rome got a lot of imports from China, but it seemed like Rome didnt export anything to China.
 * Rome did not have to many intellectual achievements. They focused more on architecture and engineering. China was based more off of philosophies than structured building. The only two strcutures that are important and mentioned in the reading is the Great Wall and the Shrine that Wu Ti created for the worship of Confucius.
 * Rome had a more physically structured civilization. China was more of an abstract civilization mainly focusing on beliefs.
 * China had an emperor who had all the power and no one else had any say ion what was going on. However, in Rome, they were following the structure of the Greeks, with a republic, where there was a group of aristocrats who would be in charge of everything that went on there.
 * China had a beaucracy where as Rome did not.
 * China was not a highly military civilization, where Rome was a major military state.