The dynamics of ancient empires: state power from Assyria to Byzantium

Abstract

Ancient empires in the western Old World functioned as complex systems for the concentration of state power and the systematic extraction of resources. A comparative analysis of Neo-Assyrian, Achaemenid, Athenian, Roman, and Byzantine polities reveals distinct trajectories of state formation, ranging from the co-option of local elites to the development of centralized bureaucracies. The Neo-Assyrian and Achaemenid systems utilized ideological integration and religious cults to stabilize control over diverse territories. Conversely, the Athenian archê represents a capital-intensive state formation driven by intense interstate competition, while the Roman Empire achieved exceptional longevity through the fiscal integration of Mediterranean trade and the successful depoliticization of its professional military. The subsequent Byzantine state illustrates a contracted late-antique polity defined by persistent competition for finite resources between central authorities and landed elites. These historical developments are underpinned by ultimate biological causations; imperial expansion and the accumulation of material capital are intrinsically linked to the maximization of reproductive success for dominant male elites. Within this framework, sexual exploitation and the monopolization of mates function as the primary biological rewards of imperial success. This multidisciplinary approach integrates historical sociology with evolutionary psychology to explain the underlying dynamics of premodern predation, resource distribution, and the structural persistence of hierarchical state power. – AI-generated abstract.