Hans Beck - Rulers and Ruled in Ancient Greece, Rome, and China

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Cambridge University Press 2021

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First published 2021

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ISBN 978-1-108-48577-7 Hardback

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Hans Beck and Griet Vankeerberghen

Globalization has changed the mental galleries behind the humanities. As learning communities have diversified, research portfolios and teaching curricula have followed suit. At most universities, for instance, Western Civilization courses have given way to offerings that apply a more multifaceted approach to history, society, and culture. While these developments are well under way, it is acknowledged only gradually, and, at times, maybe with some hesitation, that the ongoing renegotiation of concepts and contents in the humanities also invites new approaches toward the study of cultural foundations as such.

The Global Antiquities Research Network is designed to offer such an approach. It addresses the histories of the ancient world from a distinctly comparative perspective. In doing so, Global Antiquities calls for a sustained study of some of the basic cultural foundations, those of the ancient Mediterranean world, the forerunner of the West, and those of Early China, often equated with the East. The field of comparative research on Greece, Rome, and China is swiftly expanding. Indeed, despite its relative novelty, this area of research has already produced fascinating results, especially in the fields of science and medicine, philosophy, and political theory. Additionally, the ancient empires of Rome and Han China, both engines and expressions of political advancement, have come under close scholarly scrutiny. These investigations shed light on the mechanics of imperial governance, the transfer of expert knowledge, and the cultural distinctions of ancient political thought and theory, and their lasting legacy today.