Unit 4: Empires and Belief Systems
600 BCE to 700 CE
How did the emergence of portable belief systems affect how people lived and support new types of networks among them?
The rise of new empires and the emergence and spread of portable belief systems introduced a new level of complexity into human societies. Often, belief systems and empires helped each other spread to new places.
Portable Belief Systems
Early religions were usually limited to a particular place or people. During this period, however, a new sort of belief system emerged. People began to believe that their gods moved with them, and that their beliefs could be shared by communities beyond their own.
The Growth of Empires
Some states become empires. Others don’t. Many empires arose during this period, and each of them had different characteristics. In these lessons, we’ll compare ancient empires across Afro-Eurasia and their effects on the people living in and around them.
Comparing the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty
The empires of Rome and Han Dynasty China were pillars of the ancient world. They were linked to each other across thousands of miles, and despite clear distinctions, they shared much in common.
Lesson 4.5
Rome and Han China
How did Roman and Han Dynasty rulers grow and maintain their empire?
Lesson 4.6
Women in the Ancient World
How did the roles of women differ in ancient Rome and Han China?
Lesson 4.7
Unit 4 Writing Wrap Up
How did the emergence of portable belief systems affect how people lived and support new types of networks among them?