03/30/2022
By Abigail Chandler

The College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History invites you to attend a Master’s thesis defense by Edward Ouano on "Decadent Empires: A Comparison of Luxury and Moral Panic in Han China and the Roman Empire."

Candidate Name: Edward Ouano
Degree: Master’s
Defense Date: Thursday, April 14, 2022
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: Coburn Hall, Room 210, South Campus
Thesis/Dissertation Title: "Decadent Empires: A Comparison of Luxury and Moral Panic in Han China and the Roman Empire"

Committee:

  • Jane Sancinito (advisor), History Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Abby Chandler, History Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Christoph Strobel: History Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Brief Abstract:

This thesis examines the elite perception of the luxury trade between Han China and the Roman Empire between the first Century BCE and the 2nd Century CE. In it the thesis argues that the growth of the Sino-Roman luxury trade led to a series of moral panics within Rome and China due to the unprecedented access to luxury goods, namely silk in Rome, and horses and wine in Han China. These moral panics stemmed from unease held by elites within either empire which were directed toward the conspicuous consumption of their peers.

The thesis analyzes both empires, forming case studies of the moral panics and the way they progressed, and then proceeds to compare the way in which these moral panics are perceived and used for political gain. It does this by examining figures deeply connected to overindulgence and luxury to highlight how these luxuries are tied to corruption. The goal of this thesis is to prove that the moral panics were caused by a fear of corruption brought upon by the indulgence in luxuries, and that they became part of both empires cultural psyche.

This thesis also seeks to prove that these moral panics in themselves are remarkably similar, they came from unknown foreign empires, revolve around the weakening of the elite, and are consistently referred to by sources within either empire as cultural dangers. In doing so the thesis contributes to the growing field of comparative history by comparing moral panic, high culture, and the ideals of the elite.