During its time, the Roman Empire was considered the greatest civilization in the world. Spanning from 27C.E. to 476C.E., this historic empire thrived and expanded, making it unparalleled in its grandeur. At its zenith around 117C.E., the Roman Empire had dominion over vast territories, stretching “from northern Africa to The Scottish border, from Spain to Syria.” However, as time progressed, the empire became too large to govern effectively, leading to the collapse of its western half by 500 C.E.
Multiple factors contributed to this downfall, including political instability, economic issues, and weakened borders. Yet despite its decline, the Romans’ influence can still be seen today in various aspects of society: art , architecture , engineering , writing , philosophy law citizenship and even language . It is commonly said that “All roads lead to Rome.” So what caused the fall of this once all-powerful city and empire? While some argue for a single reason , there were actually multiple factors at play . Historians point out numerous challenges that led to Rome’s decline; however political instability was the most significant problem. The Romans struggled with effectively transferring political power after an emperor’s death which resulted in rival factions vying for control with their own armies. Despite facing periods of turmoil and violence, the Romans failed to learn from their mistakes.The lack of a robust system for selecting emperors and ensuring a smooth transfer of power posed numerous challenges. The Praetorian Guard, the emperor’s private army, possessed the authority to choose the next ruler but only did so in exchange for personal gains. As a result, these rulers often made ill-advised decisions. Moreover, economic problems emerged from within the esteemed Roman army itself. In order to maintain protection and appease the army, onerous taxes were imposed on citizens, pushing many into poverty and resulting in high unemployment rates. Esteemed emperors like Nero and Caligula exacerbated matters by lavishly spending on festivals and parties. These financial shortcomings caused a significant rise in crime throughout the empire, endangering both cities and streets alike. Additionally, due to the vastness of the empire, weakened frontiers made defense difficult and further contributed to Rome’s decline. Consequently, it took considerable time for emperors to communicate with army generals, leaving them unaware of military movements until several weeks later.
Before the king could respond, enemy tribes invaded, resulting in the fall of the western empire in 410C.E. This event marked the Germanic tribe’s control over Rome and eventually led to the overthrow of the last Roman emperor after 66 years, causing the dissolution of Rome’s western half. Despite collapsing over 1,500 years ago, the Roman Empire continues to have a significant impact on western civilization. Its influences can be seen in various domains such as art, architecture, engineering, writing, philosophy, law, citizenship, and language.
Roman art incorporated elements from diverse cultures and created a blend known as “Greco-Roman” art that greatly influenced western art. The Romans not only imitated these cultures but also added their own creativity. They highly valued art and adorned their homes with statues, murals,
mosaics,and frescos. Additionally,they excelled in crafts like cameo-making along with gem-cutting and metalworking.Cameos served both as jewelry accessories and vase decorations. Many examples of this artwork still exist today alongside other remnants of Roman art.
The Romans were skilled constructors who imitated and improved upon others’ ideas just like they did with their artistic endeavors.One notable example is their innovative creation of triumphal arches that were widely replicated afterward.The Romans were skilled in architectural components like the arch, vault, and dome. They used these elements to build grand monuments that celebrated victories or accomplishments. These structures laid the foundation for the creation of huge buildings. The impressive dome of Rome’s Pantheon is especially well-known. However, the Colosseum is considered the most famous Roman structure – a massive stadium that could hold many spectators. Interestingly, it included tunnels for easy access to seats, similar to modern football stadiums. In addition to their architectural expertise, the Romans also made important advancements in engineering.
The ancient Romans were highly skilled in construction, specifically in the building of roads, bridges, and aqueducts. Their empire was connected by more than 50,000 miles of road made from stone, sand, and gravel, setting a precedent for road building during that time. Furthermore, their expertise in aqueducts was impressive as they had an extensive system that transported water from distant locations up to 60 miles away. This system provided water to the homes of the wealthy as well as public baths and fountains.
Although the impact of Roman infrastructure may not be as significant today, their language has had a lasting influence. Latin served as the primary language of the Roman Empire and continues to affect us today. Even after the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Latin thrived due to its adoption as the official language of the Roman Catholic Church during medieval times. Consequently, a substantial portion of vocabulary in Germanic languages like English and German is derived from Latin. It is estimated that over 50% of English words have origins in Latin.
In addition to linguistic influences, Roman numerals are another enduring legacy still used today primarily for decorative purposes rather than functional ones.It is crucial to acknowledge that our deep influence does not solely stem from superficial aspects. The laws, principles of citizenship, and philosophy of Rome have left a lasting mark on our contemporary society. The Romans embraced Stoicism, a philosophical ideology originating from Athens around 300 BC that emphasized the presence of a divine intelligence governing nature and the cultivation of virtuous character. The Roman Stoics were widely recognized for their bravery and composure in the face of adversity, and even today individuals who demonstrate these qualities are frequently referred to as stoic.
Roman law had a broad range of subjects, including marriages, inheritances, contracts, and various aspects of daily life among ancient Romans. The legal system in Ancient Rome greatly influenced the modern legal codes of several European countries like France and Italy. The Romans believed in equal rights for all individuals regardless of their wealth but didn’t always follow this principle consistently. Despite this inconsistency, Roman law’s influence persists, particularly regarding citizenship. The Romans introduced the concept that anyone could become a citizen, an idea that carries both privileges and responsibilities heavily influenced by our Roman ancestors. However, even as a citizen, one must adhere to all United States laws as if it were their own homeland.
The Romans have left us with a multitude of achievements that continue to impact our modern world. These accomplishments have contributed to making our lives easier and fairer, distinguishing us from people of earlier eras. One notable achievement is The Network of Concrete Roads. The construction of Roman roads played a crucial role in the development of the Roman Empire, with an extensive network totaling over 400,000 km, which included more than 80,500 km of paved roads. The Romans excelled at road construction thanks to their innovative techniques involving various materials such as stones, broken stones mixed with cement and sand, cement mixed with broken tiles, curving stones, and tightly packed paving stones on the surface. These road networks were essential for maintaining and expanding the empire’s trade, ultimately leading to its downfall.
Today, we still rely on roads for transportation purposes, and some Roman roads are still in use after being repaved.
However,
the most significant achievement
of all is
the Latin Language.
Latin served as
the primary language
of the Roman Empire
and has influenced numerous modern languages including Italian,
Spanish,
and French.
Despite
the Western Roman Empire’s collapse,
Latin continued to thrive during
the Middle Ages
and even became
the official language
of
the Roman Catholic Church.
German and English, both Germanic languages, have a significant number of Latin words in their vocabulary. It is estimated that over fifty percent of English’s words have Latin origins. This is important because these widely spoken languages were influenced by the development of aqueducts, which had a significant impact on the Romans. Aqueducts were constructed by the Romans to transport water from distant sources to cities and towns, providing water for public baths, fountains, and homes. Some aqueducts also supplied water for mining, processing, manufacturing, and agriculture purposes. Aqueducts operated by moving water along an inclined path inside structures made of stone, brick or concrete. Most aqueducts were situated underground. Water from the aqueducts was transported through bridges or transmitted through high-pressure lead, ceramic or stone pipes across the empire. Today, some of these aqueducts are still operational. These accomplishments had a profound influence on Rome and continue to shape modern society.
The Roman Empire, which reached its height in 117C.E, was a vast and powerful empire that extended from northern Africa to The Scottish border and from Spain to Syria. Its dominance over such a large territory was weakened by political, economic, leadership, and control weaknesses. Despite collapsing more than 1,500 years ago, the Roman Empire’s influence on western civilization remains evident through its art, language, and diversity. Therefore, it is important to consider the consequences of a non-existent Roman Empire. In conclusion, we say goodbye to this great empire with solemnity.
