Compare And Contrast First Millennial Empires

Although first millennial empires differed greatly in geographic region and culture, patterns emerge that show a shift between empires in the first part of the millennium and in the second. An empire is characterized by a plethora of languages and religions under one government. An empire extends beyond bonds of kinship and blood. There is a need for a national identity. It controls beyond its original borders and extends to people of varying cultural backgrounds. To become an empire they need a sizeable military force, economic resources, and governmental organization. Early millennial empires, such as the Hittites and Assyrians, were more hierarchical than later empires such as Greece, Rome, and Qin dynasty China. These changes came about as a result of economic and philosophical shifts. The feudal system gave way to greater equality and upward mobility. The Hittites were one of the earliest empires, reigning from 1650-1182 BCE. The Hittites adopted the use of chariots and iron weapons. This gave them an advantage over their enemies who were still using bronze weapons. Using technology, they conquered Anatolia and parts of Syria. They set up Hittite nobles to control conquered territories and local

Alexander had studied under Aristotle and spread Greek culture and language throughout his conquered territories. As he conquered new territory, he built new cities. In Egypt, Alexander built Alexandria with a library that held scrolls from all parts of the empire. It was also a place for scholars and thinkers to gather. Although, Alexander’s empire fragmented into smaller parts ruled by his generals, the library represents an emerging attitude in late millennial empires. These empires were a cultural mixing pot and were more secularized, with an emphasis on learning and knowledge, rather than religion. Hellenic culture and the Greek language were still used despite not being on political