Comparing economic inequality between the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Per-capita income and inequality in the Roman and Han Empires. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58581-0 A trio of researchers from Bocconi University, in Italy, the University of Cambridge, in the U.K., and Stanford University, in the U.S., has found that there was more economic inequality under the Han Dynasty than during the Roman Empire. In their study published in the journal Nature Communications, Guido Alfani, Michele Bolla and Walter Scheidel applied modern economic and business tools to the two economies. The Roman Empire existed for approximately 500 years, from approximately 27 BC to approximately 476 AD, and included most of the territory surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, other parts of Europe and the U.K. The Han Dynasty existed for approximately 425 years, from a ... Read full article.