You May Not Think About It...

You may not think about, but there are quite a few differences about the Roman and Islamic Empires. These two empires can be compared in their environmental, socio-cultural, and technological fields. Don’t believe me? Look for yourself!

First, their environments were far from similar. The Roman Empire had “cool, rainy winters that created acres of productive farmland.” (pg. 47) Because of this, they were rich in agricultural trade. They were probably full of other riches, too, because they had “the nerby Tiber River that enabled the Romans to engage in a busy and prosperous trade.” (pg. 47)On the other hand, the Islamic Empire was not as fortunate. “The region was very arid. It receives little rain and is covered mainly by deserts.” (pg. 85) Because of this, crops were not as successful here. The only parts of land that was actually available for farming was on the “southern mountains and along the northern coastline.” (pg. 85) So I guess the Islamic Empire is not as rich in agriculture as the Romans.

Next, their socio-cultural sides were a bit similar. The Roman Empire was a Christian world, while the Islamic Empire was, well, Islamic. But they were both monotheistic. The Islamic religion was much more influential in their lives than the Roman religion. Both had public baths, which was used in a way to socialize in both empires. But unlike the Romans, the Islamic Empire also used it as a religious bath, too.

Lastly, their technologies were a bit of both. They were both used to fit their different environments. Both of them needed a way to get water, so the Romans used aqueducts, which were “bridge-like structures designed to bring fresh water into cities and towns” (pg.69) while the Islamic Empire used a well-like machine. The Roman’s machinery was mainly made for battles and war and such, while the Islamic studies showed the more scientific side.

All in all, the Roman and Islamic Empires have their differences, but they both have some similarities. They can have their similarities and differences in their technologies, deserts, crops, and culture. But you may have not thought about it… until now.