The study of the Comparative Empire in the Victorian period by classically educated civil servants frequently invoked classical analogies. James Mill, whose writings were heavily influential in the conceptualization of imperialism, frequently drew examples from Roman civilization in his History of India, justifying imperial rule as a necessity due to the inferior, uncivilized nature of Indian culture. The likening of India`s position under control to that of Britain`s under Roman rule was a common, standard theme in the writings of other writers of the imperial century, such as Thomas Macaulay and Charles Grant. As stated by Sir Alfred Lyall, and later quoted by Lord Cromer, imperialists sought to invoke the classical past in imperialism by seeking the history of imperial Rome for any facts or commentaries gleaned from the ancient times which might be of service to the modern empire of which we are so justly proud of. The comparison here is obvious both imperial powers proclaimed it their divine purpose to govern, supposedly in the interests of their subjects. By extending their own laws and civilization over the territories they governed, both empires established widespread order and peace. By the time of the Roman Empire`s eventual decline, many of its inhabitants lamented its loss, showing the popularity of its rule. When comparing time periods, rule in India was fleeting compared to centuries of Roman dominion. However, the
perception of the success of the Empire in emulating the Roman Empire, as compared to attempts by other imperial nations such as Spain and France, is evident from its praise by President Roosevelt in 1909, who commended Britain as the most colossal example in history, achieving a greater feat than was performed under the Roman Empire. This dissertation shall analyze the extent to which the Empire managed to create a similar sense of unity and loyalty among its subjects, or whether its disintegration and its colony’s subsequent independence was instead celebrated, by focusing on 19th century India, where key characteristics of the colonial state were consolidated, shaped significantly by the Indian Mutiny of 1857. I shall begin by exploring the political ideology of Victorian Britain to understand how the civilizing mission was conceptualized, and how classically educated imperial administrators frequently invoked the classical past to reaffirm the strength and permanence of rule in India. Following this, I shall analyze how the Roman example might even serve as an anti-model to Britain, especially in the aftermath of the Mutiny, where imperialists were forced to reframe imperialism in response to the Indian rebellion to paramountcy. Finally, I shall discuss how the imperial iconography of Queen Victoria was used to validate this new model of imperialism, then conclude by considering the modern implications of the rule in India.