I. Geographical and social positioning A. How it was in Rome Rome began as a city state in the 8th century BC and Rome’s political history is inseparable from its military history, from its beginnings as a small village of a few thousand inhabitants located on the banks of the river Tiber, providing fertile soil for crops and a means to trade with its neighbours, right up to the peak of its power and influence when it boasted a population of some 55 million people.
Rome’s initial location was extremely strategic in positioning it as a military power and helping it to protect itself. In the north, Italy was protected by a range of high mountains, the Alps, and on the remaining three sides, by water. This geographical advantage is hugely significant in helping early Rome to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. It was naturally defended on all sides.
B. How it was in China Chinese civilization began in the Yellow River valley around the 18th century BC, and like Rome, had a number of geographical advantages which allowed it to thrive and develop without outside interference.
China was isolated from neighboring territory due to high mountains and wide rivers, the latter prone to constant flooding, creating
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But this expansion came at a cost, Rome and it's empire was a victim of it's sheer size, it was unmanageable, and maintaining it's borders was taking fat too much effort and money. The economy was stagnating, and people were becoming discontented. City services deteriorated and disease and hunger severely affected the poor. By the third century AD it was being attacked on all sides, and in 395 it officially split into two halves, the eastern and western Roman
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” –Marcus Garvey. The U.S. is a combination of many cultures and influences over the centuries and because of this we are alike to many of them. We could name many of these influences: the Greeks, the Chinese Dynasties but the Romans were particularly like us. We might see them as barbaric is some ways but the reality is that the U.S. takes pages from many areas of the Romans, and comparisons could be drawn between both of us. Examples include government, our religions, and in some ways entertainment. The U.S. is much like the old Roman Empire was more than a millennium ago
The Roman military was arguably the most important factor in Rome’s illustrious history. Using your knowledge of Rome’s military from the video, text, and the document provided, make an argument for why the Roman military was so successful.
Many factors contribute to the success of a society and determine the supremacy of the entire empire. The most evident of these factors is the common wealth of the population. This wealth is not merely calculated in monetary form but comprises the amount of resources and military power an empire possesses. The endless necessity in an increase of wealth in Rome could have led to the expansion. Since the land was not rich in resources and the soil was not the greatest for agriculture, expansion of the Roman border...
Rome was one of the greatest empires of the ancient world. The early Roman state was founded in 509 B.C. after the Romans drove out the hated Etruscan king. By this time Rome had already grown from a cluster of small villages to a small city. Little did the settlers know that this was the beginning of one of the greatest and largest empires ever known.
Rome was once one of the world's greatest empire until around 200 BCE when Rome started to crumble. The Fall of Rome did not happen suddenly, it took about 1100 years to take place. The first two centuries as an empire were named the "Pax Romana", which meant the time of Roman peace. The Romans were living the life, without a worry in the world. So how and why did Rome start to collapse, if the empire was was doing so grand and magnificent? To answer that question, the primary reasons that Rome started to decline were that the Romans had difficulty with their government which caused social problems/decay, their military was falling behind on their duties and became indolent, and natural disasters.
The introduction of agriculture enabled individuals to accumulate wealth and pass it down through their families, this is a phenomena which could not happened before due to groups of people not being able to settle in one place. A large part of agriculture in China was the rice crops. Rice is a labor-intensive crop that requires many workers and a complex irrigation system. Large crops of rice depended on the construction and maintenance of an elaborate irrigation system. These irrigation systems would not be possible without the Yellow River. Without the Yellow River there would be no body of water that needed to be controlled nor would there be flooding in that area that gives this region well fertilized soil, therefore the Xia Dynasty would not have been created and China's civilizations would not have developed in the manner that they did. The River also created a pathway for trade which shaped its
As the story goes, Rome was founding in 753 B.C. by two brothers Remus and Romulus who were raised by wolves. The two brothers started fighting over the leadership of the land. Eventually Romulus killed Remus and took control own his own. The city was only a small settlement at that time. As the civilization grew, the Etruscans took over. The Romans drove out the Etruscans in 509 B.C. By this time Rome had become a city. As the empire came to its peak it included lands throughout the Mediterranean world. Rome had first expanded into other parts of Italy and neighboring places during the Roman Republic, but made wider conquests and made a strong political power for these lands. In 44 BC Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman leader who ruled the Roman Republic as a dictator was assassinated. Rome descended into more than ten years of civil war. After years of civil war, Caesar's heir Gaius Octavius (also known as Octavian) defeated his last rivals. In 27 B.C. the Senate gave him the name Augustus, meaning the exalted or holy one. In this way Augustus established the monarchy that became known as the Roman Empire. The Roman Republic, which lasted nearly 500 years, did not exist anymore. The emperor Augustus reigned from 27 BC to AD 14 and ruled with great power. He had reestabl...
Marcel Le Glay, Jean-Louis Voisin, Yann Le Bohec. A History of Rome. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
For those who are interested in learning about history, the Roman Empire and its civilization were one of the most interesting spotlights in the human history. The Roman Empire existed throughout a hundreds-years timeline, officially since 27 BC under the reign of Emperor Augustus. However, to learn how this great empire rose up, they have to back to the “the early Rome and the Republic” period. In this period, these events happened orderly, from the rise of Rome in the Italian peninsula that led to creating the Roman republic, the conflicts with the Carthage Empire, the conquest of the Mediterranean and it ended with the fall of the Roman Republic.
Trade routes between Rome and all of its surrounding territories were extremely important. They not only brought in food and materials,...
The Roman Republic had an upstanding infrastructure, a stable social system, and a balanced constitution that solidified Rome’s greatness. Regardless of its achievements, however, the Roman Republic owes much of its success to classical Greek cultures. These cultures, in conjunction with the fundamental values of Roman society, certified Rome as one of the most significant powers the world has ever seen.
Another sizeable contributing factor to the expansion of the Roman Empire was the sacking of Rome by the Gauls in 390 B.C.. “The Romans were completely dumbfounded by the wild and undisciplined charge of the howling Gauls. The Roman’s tightly packed phalanx, a military formation they had adopted from the Greeks of southern Italy, collapsed, and the Romans fled” (Kidner, 129). The sacking left the Romans determined to prevent and avoid any similar outcomes in the future.
"Rome, History of Ancient Rome From Its Founding To Collapse." World History International: World History Essays From Prehistory To The Present. Web. 16 Dec. 2009. .
Rome, even at its beginnings, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s rapid growth and accumulation of power and repeated victories over powerful neighbors set Rome in a position of great authority and influence. As the leader of early Rome, Romulus’ effective command of his men and governance of his people provided the foundation for the building of a great city. Livy emphasizes Romulus’ possible divine origins and strong ties to deities as a validation and reinforcement of his ability to rule. A nation’s sole defense cannot be just bricks and mortar, it requires an army and a will and Romulus was able to successfully take action against the aggressors when action was needed.
China has had many changes throughout its history. China unlike many other countries had the opportunity to grow with minimal outside interference. Due to this they created unique Chinese philosophy, writing, and government. There are two other countries that China greatly influenced. These countries are Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.