Anthony Rivetti

Mr. Fronk
AP World History
11/8/16
Imperial Expansion
Throughout the years 600 BCE 600 CE, multiple empires rose to power and expanded.
Notable imperial civilizations of the time include Rome, Persia, and India. Each empire was
unique; however there were common themes and causes to the growth of the empires of this
period. The empires of 600 BC 600 CE were able to expand for many reasons, especially due
to their ability to conquer new lands and develop new, refined forms of imperial government.
Rome is one of the most prominent empires in the worlds history, and especially in this
period. It began as a small, unimportant city-state, and expanded to control the entire
surrounding lands of the Mediterranean Sea. Roman people were very fond of war, promoting
military service and a strong army. This, along with its central location, allowed Rome to expand
and conquer many surrounding territories. Romes governing of these new territories also played
a key role in their success. They often granted all of the privileges of Roman citizenship to
conquered peoples, making Romes interests their own. They also required military service of
these subjects, strengthening the army and allowing it to endure massive casualties. Finally,
Rome was able to obtain a profit from conquered lands by giving autonomy to the elites, who
would in turn ensure the collection of taxes for Rome. Romes military might and ability to
effectively govern allowed for the expansion and unification of the empire.
The Persian Empire was the largest the world had seen at its time, spanning from Eastern
Europe to Pakistan. The empire was founded by Cyrus, an energetic ruler, who defeated and

conquered multiple kingdoms and civilizations, most notably the Neo-Babylonian dynasty. He
was respectful of the beliefs and traditions of the conquered people and did not force them to
assimilate, which encouraged their loyalty. His son was succeeded by Darius I, a skillful and
ruthless leader. Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces, each controlled by a satrap, because
the central administration could not communicate quickly with distant territories. The satraps
collected taxes for the empire, adding to its wealth. Darius hired men, women, and children to
work on construction projects, maintain and expand the irrigation network, and farm the royal
estates. This strengthened the infrastructure of the Persian Empire. This empire was able to
expand due to the conquering of territories, tolerance of beliefs, and application a of welldeveloped government system.
The Mauryan and Gupta Empires of India also arose during this period. The Mauryan
Empire was Indias first centralized empire. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who
united the subcontinent and ruled pragmatically. He used spies for security throughout the empire
and advocated the mandala, which preaches that, The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The
empire was able to expand due to its strong military, and it thrived due to trade. Both internal and
external trade were possible due to a standard coinage system developed within the empire and
access to the Silk Road. Ashoka was another important ruler of the empire. He united it under
Buddhism and placed edicts throughout the empire, providing a law system. The Mauryan
Empire expanded due to its strong military, centralized government, and trade. The empire
collapsed after Ashokas death.
The Gupta Empire emerged in the same region as the Mauryan, but was much smaller. Its
location allowed for trade and farming, which supported the empires economy. The Gupta
Empire was less aggressive in its expansion and had a less centralized government than the

Mauryan Empire. Its military was mainly used to maintain the taxation throughout the empire.
The empire created unity by advertising its benefits with attractive cultural forms and elaborate
public ceremonies. It was a theater-state and was religiously tolerant, which attracted people to
remain loyal to the empire. The Gupta Empire was a very peaceful and wealthy civilization, and
it succeeded due to its trade and unity, promoted by the use of theater-state tactics and religious
tolerance.
Many empires throughout history were able to expand due to a powerful military and/or
an effective governing system. The British Empire is an excellent example of this from a more
modern time. Britains Navy was very large and powerful, which allowed the empire to expand
across the globe. It grew to the point where the sun never set on it. Britain had also conquered
millions of people, so the way in which they governed had a huge impact on the empires
success. They allowed many of their territories to largely govern themselves. This ability
diverted much of the colonies resentment toward Britain, decreasing the number of revolts and
revolutions that would have occurred. Britain also reaped the rewards of natural resources and
taxes from these colonies, compensating for the enormous amount of money required to conquer
and maintain them. The British Empires expansion and success can be attributed to its powerful
military and strategic governing.
Multiple imperial civilizations rose to power and expanded in this time period (600 BCE
600 CE), mostly for the same reasons. Some of the most notable and powerful empires of the
time were Rome, Persia, and the Mauryan and Gupta empires of India. These civilizations shared
the quality of having a strong military and an effective government system. The British Empire
exemplifies these same aspects in a more modern time. In conclusion, the power of an empires
military and the ability to govern effectively are the main causes for imperial expansion.