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:

1. Compare the legal, and administrative systems of the Roman and Chinese empires, identifying both structural similarities and differences.
2. Analyse how geography, cultural values, institutional traditions and historical events influenced the expansion, stability, and eventual transformation of each empire.
3. Interpret the daily lives, technological innovations, and artistic expressions of both empires, and explain how these contributed to their long-term legacy.
4. Assess the impact of Rome and China on the development of modern Western and Eastern political thought, legal institutions, and cultural identity.