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The Rise And Fall Of Empires

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What makes a great empire? In the history of mankind, there have been many empires that have been termed as “great”. But what made them great and how did they become great? Often times, the things that made them great can also be their downfall. There are countless empires that have risen and fallen-the Islamic Empire, the Mongolian Empire, the Chinese Empire, the Roman Empire, the Inca Empire, the Aztec Empire, the British Empire; the list goes on and on. Each of them had a distinct advantage that enabled them to defeat their enemies. In this essay, the factors of the rise and fall of empires will be examined.

The first factor is technology. Technology determines the success of a nation or empire. The one with the superior technology …show more content…

Each time, it was due to their superior technology. Yet, technology also plays a role in the decline of empires. Athens clearly demonstrates this. Athens built its empire on its superior navy. The navy was composed of armadas of technology-advanced triremes. However, so much time, money, recourses, and energy was put into the navy that Athena’s land army was weaker. When Sparta attacked by land and cut off the connection between Athens and the harbor, Athens was doomed. It relied too heavily of their navy and failed to develop their other assets. Another example of how technology can bring down empires is the Ottoman Turks in their conquest of the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire’s capital, Constantinople was known for their impregnable walls. Walls that even the feared Attila the Hun couldn’t breach. However, no amount of walls or the strength of the walls could withstand the Ottoman’s canons. The walls that had protected the city against many invasions were finally brought down. There are many more examples of how technology can make or break empires.

Another factor is the will or spirit. In the previous point, it was mentioned that while technology did affect tan empire largely, there are exceptions. This is one such exception. The will can sometimes

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