The Roman forum

The Roman colosseum

Read:

• Duiker/Spielvogel: pp. 126-159.
• Reilly, Vol. I, pp. 112-123, 127-142, 148-163, 177-186 (S. A. M. Adshead, "China and Rome Compared"; Plutarch, "On Education"; G. E. R. Lloyd, "Chinese and Greco-Roman Innovation"; Cicero, "Against Verres"; Sarah Shaver Hughes and Brady Hughes, "Women in the Classical Era"; Livy, "Women Demonstrate against the Oppian Law"; "Fayum Portraits".

Written Assignment 7: Due on email by Sunday, 6 pm, February 17.  In a few paragraphs - though this one may take more than the earlier ones - answer the following question.

1.       In what ways were the Roman Empire and the Chinese Han Empire similar, and in what ways were they different? There are two readings in Reilly that deal with this question directly;  I don't want a summary of those two articles alone - but I do want you to use some of the information from the textbook as well as the other readings in Reilly on both Rome and China.  Refer to these sources (primary and secondary) directly in your response.

Up to now, I have asked you to compare a variety of subjects - creation stories, and implied comparisons when you have been asked to write about influences of geography, etc.  In this assignment, the comparison should be clearer and more organized.  You should consider forms of government, size of the state, dates of establishment and longevity, economic systems, society and class, intellectual life, religion, etc.  Obviously you do not have sufficient information to "write a book" on this subject!  But do the best you can.  We will spend some time in class this week discussing this question.

Another student sent in this website.
Roman Maps
Digest of the Roman World
Etruscan Writing
Roman Law
Roman Technology
Some Roman Sites