The Roman Republic and Empire
The Roman Empire
Rome was a warrior state. Its vast empire had been hard won in a series of fierce fought campaigns. Notable breakthroughs came with the defeat of the Samnites in 295 BC (leading to the extension of Roman control into central Italy) and the thwarted invasion of Pyrrhus, the ruler of Epirus, a kingdom on the Adriatic coast of Greece. Their victories were based on the superiority of their army.
The rapid growth of the Roman Empire from the mid 2nd century BC was the cause of the establishment of a dynastic monarchy just over a century later. The expansion of a small city-state into an imperial superpower is by any measure an impressive transformation. Rome’s empire was secured by an immense military effort, which far surpassed any of its opponents. The huge military establishment created its own dynamic. In its rigorous discipline, in the superior quality of its weapons, and in the campaign experience of its troops, the Roman army exploited the advantages of scale and repeated success. Victory yielded huge quantities of booty. In turn, the riches plundered from defeated enemies, supplemented the revenue from provincial taxation, and funded the heavy cost of continued conquest.
The acquisition of empire was nowhere more loudly acclaimed than in Rome itself. The center of the city was crammed with monuments glorifying the advance of the Roman rule: grand victory arches, imposing statues, temples brilliantly emblazoned with the spoils of war. The sophistication of the Roman Empire wasn’t limited to its military feats. It boasted of its superiority in other areas too. The consistent feature of Roman weaving, mining, quarrying and pottery making is the extent of operations and the quantity of output. The technology applied to the extraction and processing of raw materials was evidently adequate to meet a relatively high level of demand, at affordable prices.
The processing of Roman agricultural products into wine, oil, textiles, or leather was as complex as their production of pottery, glass, stone and metal, and just as sophisticated. Another truly remarkable feat of the Roman Empire was Terra sigillata, a Greek ceramic tradition that included a mixture of plain and decorated forms. Its study not only revels the superiority of the Roman technology involved in its production, but also gives indications of the organization of the work.
The Roman Empire’s technological superiority also included metallurgy. Most metals (including gold, silver, copper, lead and tin) were obtained though the smelting of mined ores. The resulting ingots of pure metal could be cast or hand-worked into finished objects either straight away, or after being combined into alloys such as bronze, brass or pewter. Roman metalworkers possessed a clear understanding of practical metallurgy.
Roman intellectual accomplishments have to be considered on their own terms. The Romans were pragmatic, putting intellectual thought into actual, practical use. The Romans also gave us the calendar, as we know it today. The Roman conception of the year changed over the course of Rome’s history. The month names used today are based on the Roman names; July is named after Julius Caesar, and August after Augustus. Roman philosophy too was advanced, with stoicism the most influential philosophical school in Roman times.
Religion was multidimensional facet, with the Romans being polytheistic nation, worshiping their gods through prayer, sacrifice and lectisternia. Major Roman gods were Jupiter, Juno and Mars. The Romans believed that each person had a god-like side to them, which they called a person’s genius. Politics and religion were intertwined because the Romans saw the gods as aiding and abetting their political success, and political action took place in religious space: the senate house (curia) was a templum, a piece of inaugurated ground, like the rostra in the assembly.
Roman law was one of the most advanced, being comprised of public and civil law. Laws have been preserved in the works of ancient authors, in inscriptions and on papyri. The first Roman code of laws was the 12 Tables published around 451 – 450 BC.
The Roman contribution to astronomy, with some of history’s most important astronomers living in Roman times; divination, or the art of predicting the future based on observations and ritual practices; law; literature- being one of that civilization’s great contributions to world heritage; Interiors and the exterior façade of buildings; paint and furnishings; stucco and sculpture; organized farming system to animal husbandry; cartography to inscription and roads, the Roman empire was unmatched in its superiority, and no other empire has come close to replicating the supremacy the Romans enjoyed. Evidence of their skill and knowledge has reached us through their architectural feats including the Roman coliseum, manuscripts, sculptures and art – boasting a rich culture and truly magnificent grandeur.
About the author:
Owner and founder of Precise Authoring Services, Jean regularly contributes informative and insightful articles. She is passionate about writing, the copywriters on her team and the clients she serves.
