Expert: Maria - 1/21/2009

Question
The 12 most powerful empires in history are:

1. British Empire
2. Russian Empire
3. Spanish Empire
4. French Empire
5. Qing Empire
6. Portugeuese Empire
7. Persian Empire
8. Han Empire
9. Ming Empire
10. Tang Empire

Is this correct?
To you who is the most powerful empire in history?

Answer
Hello,

First of all an empire (term derived from Latin “imperium” related to the verb “ imperare”, to command) is exactly  “a political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority”.

Second, in ANCIENT/ CLASSICAL HISTORY, i.e. from ca.4000 BC to 476 AD the  most powerful empires were only 4:

1.EGYPTIAN EMPIRE

2.PERSIAN EMPIRE

3.MACEDONIAN EMPIRE (see Alexander the Great)

4.ROMAN EMPIRE which was the  widest empire that has ever existed in those times as it embraced Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Germany, former Czechoslovak, former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Albania, Greece and the  islands of the Mediterranean sea, Romania, Bulgaria, all of continental Europe west of the Rhine and south of the Danube, Turkey, Mesopotamia (modern  Iraq),Arabia, most of Asia west of the Euphrates and finally northern Africa, that is Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt.

In short, your list is incorrect.

Best,
Maria