Imperial Rome and Han China were two empires formed on different parts of Eurasia. Imperial Rome from 31 BCE to 476 CE included their citizens in their government by having consuls elected by patricians, who made up the senate, and assemblies dominated by plebeians. Patricians were the elite class while plebeians were the commoners. Although the citizens did participate in government Rome needed a more centralized form of government. Julius Caesar became the first dictator in Rome and centralized the military and politics. In 31 BCE Octavian, a relative of Julius Caesar, defeated his rival Marc Antony and consolidated his rule over the empire. Octavian, also known as Augustus, kept the empire centralized and created a basis for many years
