Compare and Contrast the Classical Societies Essay

The most conspicuous of the Classical Societies developed in Persia, China, India, and the Mediterranean basin. The Classical Societies were known mainly as an enduring legacies. They were known for their influential ways that affected the way people led their lives. Each of the Classical Societies achieved skillful accomplishments. They had their similarity and differences. Although the Classical Societies were similar in ways that they endured for a long period of time and extended authority over large regions, they differed when it came to beliefs and values. One particular way the societies differed with each other was the different materials they used corresponding to their unique lifestyles. Each society raised agricultural crops, established buildings with different materials, observed different laws, and worshipped different gods. China and India heavily depended on the cultivation of rice, millet, and wheat. In China, peached earth and wood was the capital construction material for large public buildings, and in India, wood was the most common construction material. Unlike China and India, wheat was the staple food crop in Persia and the Mediterranean, and Persia and Mediterranean buildings were designed of brick and stone. More difference that the Classical Societies had were the different gods, beliefs, and values that they strictly lived by. Each society formed a broad spectrum of ideas of family organization, what was acceptable in proper public and private behavior, the relationship between the immortals and human beings, the natural world and the gods. The difference that stood out specifically was the difference in the religion and the god or gods each society worshiped. The variety of different religions solely relied on the rulers’ tolerance of religious freedom. Specifically, Cyrus the Great was tolerant and allowed different religions throughout his kingdom mainly to save his enormous empire from religious conflicts and disagreements, but when Xerxes took over generations later, he was not merciful of different religions, he wanted to be worshipped and recognized as a god, which gradually began to tear the kingdom down. In addition, the societies contrasted in sophisticated cultural and religious traditions each groups generated. Different societies held different beliefs and values, but all Classical Societies offered guidance on moral, religious, political, and social issues. The traditions were the fundamental foundations that would prepare people for a career in a government system. Also, the values would shape people who made the laws and policies which would result in a fair and just society. Despite the differences, the societies faced similar problems. They all extended authority over large regions. Cyrus the great conquered the region from the Indus River to Egypt and the Southeastern Europe. The classical societies all faced military challenges as well, and they raised powerful armies for both defensive and offensive purposes. The military challenges arose from within the classical societies because of rebellious reasons, civil war, or problems between powerful bands. Alternatively, the societies faced the challenge of trying to maintain an equitable distribution of land and wealth. Each rulers were greedy to expand the kingdom for wealth, power, and land. More land meant more resources, more resources meant wealth. The race to expansion of kingdoms driven by their greed came crashing when the empires became too enormous to handle and the rules could not be adjusted to everyone’s lifestyle, values, and religion. The Classical Societies influenced the way billions of people have led their lives, and still to this day. They achieved high degrees of internal organization, extended their authority over vastly large regions, and elaborated especially influential cultural traditions. The classical societies began the development of advanced technology because of the great rulers and ideas of the different societies.