Print this page Empires of China and Rome - Legends and Legacy
Available Classes
Empires of China and Rome - Legends and Legacy
<p>Two of the largest and longest empires in world history - the Chinese Empire (221 BC–1912 AD) and the Roman Empire (27 BC–1453 AD) - developed independently at the East and West sides of Eurasia,
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Two of the largest and longest empires in world history - the Chinese Empire (221 BC–1912 AD) and the Roman Empire (27 BC–1453 AD) - developed independently at the East and West sides of Eurasia, yet with striking parallels and differences in governance, culture, and influence. This course takes participants on a fascinating historical journey, exploring the rise and fall of these empires, their legendary leaders, incredible innovations, and lasting global impacts. No prior historical knowledge is needed—just a love for stories, debates, and discovering how their legacies continue to shape the modern world.
DELIVERY MODE
- Face-to-Face
SUGGESTED READING
- Walter Scheidel, 2009, Rome and China: Comparative Perspectives on Ancient World Empires, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533690-0
- Walter Scheidel, 2015, State Power in Ancient China and Rome, Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0-19-020224-8
- Walter Scheidel, 2019, ESCAPE FROM ROME The Failure of Empire and the Road to Prosperity, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691172187
- Peter Fibiger Bang, C. A. Bayly, Walter Scheidel, 2021, The Oxford World History of Empire: Volume Two: The History of Empires, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978–0–19–753276–8
COURSE OUTLINE
- What are shared characteristics of the two empires?
- Origins of the Chinese and Roman empires
- How the two empires expanded and ruled vast territories
- Daily life, art, culture, and technological advancements
- Causes of their critical good and bad times.
- How their successors shaped today’s East and West
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Compare the legal, and administrative systems of the Roman and Chinese empires, identifying both structural similarities and differences.
- Analyse how geography, cultural values, institutional traditions and historical events influenced the expansion, stability, and eventual transformation of each empire.
- Interpret the daily lives, technological innovations, and artistic expressions of both empires, and explain how these contributed to their long-term legacy.
- Assess the impact of Rome and China on the development of modern Western and Eastern political thought, legal institutions, and cultural identity.
