Han and Roman Attitudes Toward Technology

"Using the documents, analyze Han and Roman attitudes toward technology. Identify one additional type of document and explain briefly how it would help your analysis. " The Han and Roman Empires were extremely important empires during the time of their existence. The Han Empire began around 206 BCE and ended at around 220 CE. The Roman Empire began at around 27 BCE and broke apart into two halves, the West falling in 476 and the East collapsing in 1453. The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire have different outlooks on technology, the Han Dynasty view technology as a practical application used to ease the workload of people, while the Roman Empire views certain technology as needed, despite the creator. The Han Dynasty viewed technology as a way to ease the workload. A Han government official proposes a possible technological solution to prevent floods.

His ideas include people to watch over the machinery used to ease the workload of people preventing floods. Huan Guan, in his "Discourses on Salt and Iron", says that in previous times, people had the liberty to do foundry work and salt-boiling, but had to pay a tax. He says that the tools to do this work used to be well-made, but in current times the tools are made by convicts, and are crude and not very functional. Due to the high price of these crude tools, which do not do much to ease the workload, many people have become poor, and are forced to rely on wooden tools, and cannot afford salt. Huan Tan, in his "New Discourses", says that Fuxi, a mythological emperor, created mortar and pestle. he also says that, over time, other things were used and upgrades were made in order to increase the benefit and decrease the workload hundredfold. The government-sponsored "History of the Early Han Dynasty" claims that Tu Shih loved the common people and wished to save them labor, so he invented a water-powered-blowing-engine. This saved them time, and effort. The Roman Empire viewed some technology as important, despite the creator. Cicero, in his "On Duty", says that craftsman who are hired for labor, and not skill, are vulgar. Despite who it is, it is a loss or decline In technology and skill in exchange for increased labor. .

Plutarch says that Gaius Gracchus built needed roads, and mile-calculating systems. These were needed technological advancements, and despite the creator, they were useful. Seneca says that the hammer and tongs were not created by wise men, nor does it matter which came first. He says that they were created by someone nimble and sharp, and are useful. Frontinus says that the aqueducts are important, and are very useful. He then goes on to say that the pyramids and the useless but famous works of the Greeks are unimportant, for they do not help the empire. Documents that would help to further my analysis of these subjects would be a document from a Han and Roman common-person on the benefits of technology. This would help me to better understand the effects of technology on their lives, and how it has helped society. It would also help to show the usefulness of their technology. The Han and Roman Empires are very important. They have greatly influenced the past, and many other societies worldwide. The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire have different outlooks on technology, the Han Dynasty view technology as a practical application used to ease the workload of people, while the Roman Empire views certain technology as needed, despite the creator. If not for the technology and the technological views of the Han and Roman Empires, the world would be a much different place than what it is today.

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