The Other Empire in the West

Han China’s Knowledge and Idealized Perception of Ancient Rome

Abstract

This essay explores Han China’s perception of the Roman Empire. Using texts by modern scholars, it examines how the Han received information about Rome, the details–factual and inaccurate–they believed, and the interpretations they formed based on those details. This topic underscores the complexity of information transmission across ancient Eurasia and highlights how the dominant empire of East Asia acknowledged the existence of a powerful counterpart in the West.