---
title: Empire
author: Peter Davidson
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2022-10-07
---
# Empire
_Authored by Peter Davidson_
An empire is a political construct in which one state dominates over another state, or a series of states. At its heart, an empire is ruled by an emperor, even though many states in history without an emperor at their head are called "empires".
### What is an Empire?
At its core, an empire is the domination of one state by another. This idea lies at the heart of the common use of the term 'empire' and is as old as state-building itself. The earliest [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/)-states tried to grow by taking over their neighbours. Where they succeeded, a single larger state might form, but more often the aggressor became a core state holding sway over a number of semi-independent peripheral states – a halfway stage to a larger state. This core state became more than merely the strongest in the region.
#### Book Extract
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/162008287X/ "Atlas of Empires")### Atlas of Empires
by Peter Davidson This article is an extract from the book *Atlas of Empires*, republished with permission. This book tells the story of how and why the great empires of history came into being, operated and ultimately declined, and discusses the future of the empire in today's globalized world. [Buy on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2x9l3u3) [Buy on Bookdepository](https://www.bookdepository.com/Atlas-Empires-Peter-Davidson/9781620082874?a_aid=ahe)
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[Sparta](https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/) was the leader of a league of states but had little interest in interfering with their domestic politics. [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/), by contrast, also led a league but forced a supervised Athenian-style democracy on its supposedly independent members. Sparta was a hegemonic state, the strongest of a group, while Athens was interventionist and thereby imperial. The fact that Athens replaced tyrants with democratic government did not affect the imperial nature of this relationship.
### Empires & Control
An empire is an unequal relationship between a core state and a periphery of one or more states controlled from the core. On the simplest level, control means military occupation or other formal political intervention, but it can also cover informal economic or cultural influence. Economic pressure by itself has frequently been enough to manipulate governments. [Religion](https://www.worldhistory.org/religion/), ideology or other cultural forces have habitually accompanied political or economic persuasion.
[  Neo-Assyrian Empire Ningyou (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/117/neo-assyrian-empire/ "Neo-Assyrian Empire")The [culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/culture/) of the periphery, however, can exert its own pull and threaten to absorb a conquering power, most famously in the case of the [Mongol](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mongol_Empire/) [conquest](https://www.worldhistory.org/warfare/) of [China](https://www.worldhistory.org/china/). As such, cultural imperialism is not a necessary component of empire.
In fact, neither is cultural difference *per se*, given the difficulty of deciding where one culture ends and another begins. In the modern era, the borders of the nation state have tried to settle this matter, but the nation state itself formed around a core state that standardized language and other aspects of culture in a way that typically alienated outlying regions. In the end, the acid test for cultural identity has remained solidarity in the face of a common enemy and this is a test most empires have at some stage passed.
### Core & Periphery
To explain how empires, thus defined, have risen, persisted and fallen over the millennia, the core, the periphery and the international situation each need to be examined.
[  Aztec Empire wikipedia user: El Comandante (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2321/aztec-empire/ "Aztec Empire")The core state is the place to look to find various motives for expansion, from the dream of imposing an imperial peace on squabbling states to the desire for economic exploitation, lust for the glory of conquest or zeal for evangelism, religious or ideological.
The periphery is the place to look for crucial resistance or collaboration. Specifically, the [fates](https://www.worldhistory.org/Fates/) of many empires have hinged on peripheral leaders deciding where their best interests lay. Often, the core can provide an account of an empire's rise, while the periphery better explains its persistence.
Examples of Empires in the ancient world include those of [Sumeria](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/), [Babylonia](https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/), [Assyria](https://www.worldhistory.org/assyria/), that of the [Hittites](https://www.worldhistory.org/hittite/), the [Egyptian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Egyptian/), the Persian, the Macedonian, the [Inca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Inca_Civilization/), the [Aztec](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aztec_Civilization/), and, most famously, the [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/).
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Timeline
- **2500 BCE**: First Dynasty of Lagash under King Eannutum is first [empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) in [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/).
- **2334 BCE - 2279 BCE**: [Sargon of Akkad](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sargon_of_Akkad/) (the Great) reigns over [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/) and creates the world's first [empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/).
- **1504 BCE - 1492 BCE**: [Egyptian empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Egyptian_Empire/) reaches greatest extent under Thutmose I.
- **1500 BCE**: [Egyptian empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Egyptian_Empire/) extends to the Euphrates.
- **1350 BCE - 1250 BCE**: The [Hittite](https://www.worldhistory.org/hittite/) [Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) is at its peak.
- **1285 BCE**: Peak of [Hittite](https://www.worldhistory.org/hittite/) power.
- **188 BCE**: Maximum extent of the [Pergamon](https://www.worldhistory.org/pergamon/) [Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) after Apamea peace.
- **12 Jul 100 BCE - 15 Mar 44 BCE**: Life of Gaius [Julius Caesar](https://www.worldhistory.org/Julius_Caesar/), founder of the [Roman Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Empire/).
- **31 BCE**: [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) absorbed into [Roman Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Empire/).
- **60 CE - 61 CE**: [Boudicca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Boudicca/)'s Revolt in [Britain](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Britain/).
- **83 CE**: [Battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) of Mons Graupius in [Scotland](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Scotland/).
- **200 CE - 1000 CE**: [Tiwanaku](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tiwanaku/) [Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) flourishes based around [Lake Titicaca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lake_Titicaca/).
- **c. 500 CE - 1240 CE**: The [Ghana Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ghana_Empire/) dominates West [Africa](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/africa/).
- **802 CE - 1431 CE**: [Khmer Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Khmer_Empire/) in South East Asia.
- **c. 1425 CE - 1532 CE**: The [Inca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Inca_Civilization/) [Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) flourishes in South America.
## Questions & Answers
### What is considered an Empire?
An empire is an unequal relationship between a core state and a periphery of one or more states controlled from the core. On the simplest level, control means military occupation or other formal political intervention, but it can also cover informal economic or cultural influence.
### Who runs an Empire?
At its heart, an empire is ruled by an emperor, even though many states in history without an emperor at their head are called "empires". For example the sovereign of the British Empire was a king or queen, not an emperor or empress.
## External Links
- [Governors, diplomats and soldiers in the service of Sargon II and Tiglath-pileser III, kings of Assyria](http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sargon/)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Davidson, P. (2011, May 11). Empire. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Davidson, Peter. "Empire." *World History Encyclopedia*, May 11, 2011. .
### MLA
Davidson, Peter. "Empire." *World History Encyclopedia*, 11 May 2011, .
## License & Copyright
Edited excerpt of [Atlas of Empires](/books/1847730647/) by Peter Davidson. ©2011 New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. Republished with permission. Original definition by **Peter Davidson**. Submitted by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/ "User Page: Jan van der Crabben"), published on 11 May 2011. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.