Rulers and Ruled in Ancient Greece, Rome, and China

Hans Beck, Griet Vankeerberghen

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781108485777
• eBook ISBN: 9781108624480
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Ancient History
• Index: History

Situated on opposite flanks of Eurasia, ancient Mediterranean and Han-Chinese societies had a hazy understanding of each other's existence. But they had no grounded knowledge about one another, nor was there any form of direct interaction. In other words, their historical trajectories were independent. In recent years, however, many similarities between both cultures have been detected, which has energized the field of comparative history. The present volume adds to the debate a creative method of juxtaposing historical societies. Each contribution covers both ancient China and the Mediterranean in an accessible manner. Embarking from the observation that Greek, Roman, and Han-Chinese societies were governed by comparable features, the contributors to this volume explain the dynamic interplay between political rulers and the ruled masses in their culture specific manifestation as demos (Greece), populus (Rome) and min (China).

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Maps
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• Chronology of the Ancient Mediterranean
• Chronology of Ancient China
• Maps of Ancient China, Greece, and Rome
• Introduction: The Many Faces of “the People” in the Ancient World δῆμος – populus – 民min
• Part I Authority and Lifestyles of Distinction
• Part II The People as Agents and Addressees
• Part III Inversions of the People: Emperors and Tyrants
• Part IV Identities and ‘‘Others’’
• Glossary
• Index