The AGe of Hegemony
The rise of the Roman and Chinese empires were arduous and lengthy processes that took at least four centuries. In the eighth century BCE, the geopolitics of eastern Asia was similar to that of the eastern Mediterranean, which was populated by hundreds of tiny Greek city-states. Five years after the Greeks gathered for their first Olympic Game in 776 BCE, the host of centuries-old city-sized feudal states in China received a new company, Qin, the future empire builder. Eighteen years after the investiture of Qin, tradition had it that Rome was founded on the hills beside the River Tiber. The legend's veracity is much questioned, but it was around this time that the Greek and Phoenician colonizers brought the model of city-state to the western Mediterranean and founded Carthage, Rome's future arch enemy. The foundation of the Republic in 509 BCE was undoubtedly a turning point in Rome's history. It too, found itself among a host of city-states in Italy.
This was the age of hegemony. Strong states annexed neighboring land when convenient, but mostly they tried to win not territories but allies, whom they led to fight rivals. When administrative institutions were not yet developed to manage large populations, allies that took care of their domestic affairs but obeyed orders in foreign affairs were more effective for the hegemon to expand its power. Strong states in China vied to become ba or the hegemon, the leader of lords. Rome had conquered Italy before it expanded overseas, but until the Social War of 91-87 BCE, it preferred to be the hegemon of Italian allies, from whom it demanded troops to fight under its command.
This was the age of hegemony. Strong states annexed neighboring land when convenient, but mostly they tried to win not territories but allies, whom they led to fight rivals. When administrative institutions were not yet developed to manage large populations, allies that took care of their domestic affairs but obeyed orders in foreign affairs were more effective for the hegemon to expand its power. Strong states in China vied to become ba or the hegemon, the leader of lords. Rome had conquered Italy before it expanded overseas, but until the Social War of 91-87 BCE, it preferred to be the hegemon of Italian allies, from whom it demanded troops to fight under its command.
The age of large territorial empires were coming, but first to the middle region of Eurasia. The Persian Empire was repelled by the Greeks, then destroyed by Alexander the Great in the 320s BCE. Like its Persian predecessor, Alexander's empire reached the western slopes of the high Pamir, but not beyond. At that time, seven warring states were busy fighting each other in eastern Asia. To the west of the empire, the Roman Republic was busy fighting the Samnites, mountain folks in central Italy. The ephemerality of Alexander's empire highlights the greatest achievements of the Roman and Chinese empires, their stability and longevity.
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Questions:
- Define hegemony:
- Why does the author call this the "age of hegemony"?
- Why were allies preferred to conquest?
- Define ephemerality:
- Why were the Roman empire and Chinese Dynasties more stable than Alexander the Greats?