For this assignment, I have chosen to compare and contrast the Roman warrior class with those of the ancient Chinese. The Romans warriors were a part of the most dominant and influential army in history. They were paid professional soldiers. They were a well-trained army, practicing daily in the use of weapons and strategies that made the empire so successful. Salaries and retirement benefits such as gifts of land to farm were standard for these men. In China, by contrast, the armies that were raised to bring power to the ruling class were typically peasants and farmers that were forced into service, with no regard for wages or even freedom. These soldiers were given only basic training with their weapons and battles were typically won …show more content…
Conscripted into service, the soldiers were used to conquer nearby villages and protect outlying territories. The relative wealth of the valley in terms of farming territory and access to water made it one of the most important areas for civilized development. These villages began appearing along the rivers as early as 6000 BC. China boasts the oldest continuous civilization on Earth. The villages were conquered and reconquered by one dynasty after another in an effort to consolidate power. The earliest military action in the region was recorded during the Xia Dynasty in roughly 2200 BCE. By comparison, the Roman Empire was in the heart of one of the most fertile sections of land to be found anywhere. The fertile soil of the Po and Tiber River valleys allowed the Romans to grow a large variety of grains and even olives, providing surpluses for food and trade. Access to the Mediterranean, allowed the Romans easy access to trade partners and helped develop one of the strongest economies in the ancient world. The empire used this wealth to strengthen and develop its mighty military. Additionally, the Roman Empire was largely protected from invasion by the Alps and Apennines, two mountain ranges that surrounded the center of the empire. Of the two groups, the Roman soldiers were the better treated in their …show more content…
These dynasties were built around wealthy families that would exert complete despotic power over the peasants and citizens of the valley. The opportunity to overthrow a dynasty was not common and only occurred every few hundred years. While the changing of the leading powers could be bloody, the Chinese were a typically peaceful and community minded people. The Han Dynasty was famously aggressive in expanding their territories, but much of that expansion happened peacefully, through the giving of extravagant gifts and making of treaties. Freedom of the people of the country, however, was not much of a consideration as laws were absolute and handed down from the rulers with no thought for how it affected the lives of the general public. These laws were expected to be carried out by the government through the use of landowners' enforcement of laws in their own territory. Imperial Rome, by comparison was much simpler. There was a great emphasis on rule of law throughout the empire. Legal systems and codes common to the empire helped to ensure that all citizens lived under similar laws throughout the empire, making sure that trade, property rights and individual rights were protected equally for all citizens. In both China and Rome, the soldiers were the protectors of the empire, and equally subject to its