Final answer:
Land-based empires maintained power by integrating religious art and ideas, as seen in the Aksumite and Himyarite inscriptions and monuments, the Ming emphasis on Confucianism, and the adoption of religious practices by the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt.
Step-by-step explanation:
Historically, land-based empires maintained power by integrating religious art and ideas into various aspects of governance. The Aksumite and Himyarite leaders, for example, publicly expressed their religious devotion by creating inscriptions and building monuments dedicated to their faiths.
Similarly, Ming emperors like Zhu Di sought to restore Chinese cultural traditions following the Mongol Yuan dynasty by reinforcing the role of Confucianism. Ptolemaic rulers in Egypt legitimated their rule through the adoption of Egyptian religious practices, styling themselves as pharaohs.
These actions demonstrated the rulers' alliance with prevalent religious sentiments, helped to embed their authority within the cultural foundation of society, and often were attempts to unify their subjects.
Whether through the institution of Zoroastrianism in the Sasanian Empire, Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, or through the various adaptions of religious and intellectual views that Mongol rulers like Ghazan, Ayurbarwada, and Jani Beg made, rulers used religion not only for claiming divine support but also for cultural and political integration. Such strategies were pivotal in maintaining control over diverse populations within their territories, demonstrating the intricate connection between religion and state power throughout history.