What is An Empire

What is An Empire

What is an Empire?

• A complex political organization where a dominant central state controls weaker outer states

Was Egypt considered an Empire?

• No, Egypt was a kingdom because all of it's citizen in the surrounding cities identified as Egyptians.

• In empires, citizens identify with their own city/region/state

Why do Empires Exist?

• There is no single reason, however, one state decides it wants power and control over the others.

• The two most popular reasons they exist are to conquer other states for resources as well as security and wealth

How does an empire work?

• It's based on inequality (core vs peripheral)

• The core idetifies itself as superior over it's periphery

What are the challenges of an empire?

• No prior examples (trial and error)

• Overextension is difficult