Compare and Contrast the Han and Roman Empires in Terms of Their Technological Achievements

Compare and Contrast the Han and Roman Empires in terms of their technological achievements

The Han and Roman Empires were both very open and supportive of technological advances . They played a vital role in the development of their empires. The Han Dynasty emerged after the fall of the Qin Dynasty in China ruling from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. The Roman Empire controlled the Western Mediterranean. They advanced in the fields of warfare, medicine, agriculture and engineering that set their empires apart from others.

The Han Dynasty made several technological advancements during their time. Iron had a big impact on the advancements in warfare and agriculture. Iron provided the Han army with better quality weaponry and shields to protect themselves at war. Longer swords were made to fight an enemy at a safer distance. Gunpowder was also an invention made during the Hans period of rule. It was made from sulfur, potassium nitrate and carbon. The military used gunpowder driven weapons. Iron chain pump was created to move water easier from low irrigation ditches up to the fields. Moldboards were also created to help prevent ploughshare from clogging up with soil. They were far advanced that it was able to determine the depth of furrow. The Hans also used wheelbarrows to push heavy loads around instead of carrying them. They were well advanced in medicine as well. They believed ilness happened when the forces of the Yin and Yang were out of balance in the body. The technique used to restore the balance was acupuncture. Acupuncture is when thin needles are placed in specific parts of the body. It was used for short term illnesses. Moxibustion is a technique in which a small cone of powdered leaves or sticks is placed on the skin and set on fire to reduce pain. It was used for long term illnesses.

The Roman Empire achieved high standards because they borrowed from other cultures of the past. They were great builders. They created concrete using it to design bigger and more stable structures. They created military engineering and war machines of all sorts and shapes meant for destruction. They had the best military forces. They created the 3-field system to rotate the crops to improve production of crops. It was an effective system. The horse collar allowed them to replace oxen with horses. The Romans invented numerous surgical instruments. Including forceps, scalpel, cross-bladed scissors and surgical needle. Roman surgeons had a wide range of painkillers to help ease pain during surgery. There was also natural medicines created to ease pain.

Both empires advanced in ways of engineering. The Romans created aqueducts, the highly advanced waterway system, and the Hans used canals to transport water. They both created major roads to help support growing trade. The Romans created the roads mainly for military purposes but the Han for trade. Included in the web of roads was