Final answer:
Land-based and maritime empires both expanded their control and influence, albeit through different methods; the maritime empires focused on naval strength and trade connectivity, whereas land empires used military conquest. Maritime empires like the Minoans utilized the sea for expansion and lessened the emphasis on land-based fortifications, which marked a significant shift in imperial strategies and global influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Similarities Between Land-Based and Maritime Empires
Land-based and maritime empires both had significant impact on the course of history, including their methods of expansion, administration, and the challenges they faced. The Minoans and the Mycenaeans are classic examples of early maritime empires, relying heavily on sea trade, whereas their contemporaries often expanded their territories through land. Land-based empires, such as those in Asia, Europe, and the Muslim world, flourished by imposing political control through military conquest.
However, by the time of the Napoleonic wars, the era of land empires started to decline due to the rise of nationalism and external pressure from expanding overseas empires. Maritime empires, like the British Empire, leveraged naval strength and adapted to the needs of naval warfare, using innovations such as heavy cavalry and Greek Fire, and setting the stage for global influence through the establishment of naval bases and supply networks vital for sea power, as elaborated by Ahed Thayer Mahan.
A shift from land-based to maritime empires was marked by the changing dynamics of power and the adoption of new strategies for imperial expansion and dominance. Maritime empires diffused their reach across oceans and continents, with their naval prowess being not only a means of military might but also an avenue for trade and cultural exchange.