Roman Empire Research Paper

The legacy of Rome

The social, cultural and political developments of ancient Rome propelled Rome to wealth, prosperity and a level of scientific, mathematical and literacy development unattained for hundreds of years after its fall(Wilkes). These developments were of such crucial importance to the extent that they are widely regarded as the foundation of many democratic concepts, sciences and mathematical concepts and legal concepts of the modern day. The legacy of the Roman Empire pervades into multiple aspects of everyday life in Western society whilst simultaneously serving as an example of success and failure in a society through its contributions to the western legal systems, science and mathematics and language.

The Roman Republic
and empire is widely regarded as being the golden standard of how ancient societies were administered, whilst simultaneously demonstrating how great democracies and empires can fall with ease. To the extent that the vast majority of western legal and political institutions and concepts can trace lineage to the Roman Republic or Empire. Whilst many modern day democracies and historical autocracies have attempted to recreate a new “Rome” or have used political institutions based off of the Roman Republic’s political system. For instance, the founding fathers were profoundly influenced by the rise and collapse of the Roman empire and republic. To the extent that the vast majority of the U.S’s political institutions are named and styled after Roman political institutions(Hauenstein). Whilst being designed in a way to avoid the mistakes that ultimately lead to the downfall of Rome. This does not merely apply to the United States, in the vast majority of the world’s nations we still find elements of Roman democracy entrenched in their legal and political systems. Most of the world’s democracies have some form of democratically elected parliament, both of which are concepts derived from the Roman republic to act as a safeguard against tyrannical rulers. Whilst acting as the foundations for Western political institutions, western legal concepts, institutions and traditions are also part of the legacy of the Roman empire. Most Western European civil law codes are largely derived from the Codex Justinanus. Most Western European countries cite a specific law code in order to determine how to deal with specific offences, a system directly derived from Roman law. Juries are incredibly common in criminal cases in criminal law, another legal concept with origins in the Roman empire. The legacy of the Roman law has been immortalized through the legal texts of Western European countries and the legal and political establishments of most of the world (Wieacker).

Roman technology, science and mathematics has left a substantial legacy for how advanced, practical and ingenious it was for its time. Roman roads are an excellent example of the engineering prowess of the Romans. Roman roads were a vast network of interlinked roads all leading to Rome, spreading across most of continental Europe, Eurasia and Northern Africa. Enabling the Roman army to reach anywhere in the vast empire in little time, facilitating trade and travel around the entirety of the empire and, therefore, the spread of different ideas enabling faster scientific achievement. The roads themselves were impressive, utilising multiple layers of rock and cement with a built-in drainage system to prevent flooding of the roads and utilising a type of cement unique to Roman civilization, which was renown for being able to sustain harsh conditions and usage(Cartwright). Roman roads were built so well that a substantial amount of them are still remaining today, some of which are even still used. Roman aqueducts were of paramount importance to the development of Rome, as they enabled freshwater to be transport to major Roman populations centers . This enabled Roman cities to sustain sizeable populations even when there isn’t a substantial water source nearby, allowing everyday Romans to maintain a higher standard of living than of their contemporaries through the hygiene, access to fresh water, and population growth it facilitated, helping affirm the Roman legacy of large populations and hygiene (Szasz). Roman military technology was substantially more advanced than that of their contemporaries and rivals, enabling them to conquer and maintain vast swathes of land through military might, facilitating . The equipment of the average Roman soldier is a perfect testimonial to their military prowess, sturdy armour consisting of overlapping plates of Iron was the most common kind of armour used by Roman soldiers, which could stop almost everything except for a ballista bolt, enabling Roman soldiers to take significantly more damage than any potential foes (Hart-Davis). Roman siege weapons were brutal and effective, easily decimating enemy positions and enabling speedy takeovers of cities. Roman Ballistas were giant crossbows capable of volleying large bolts and stones up to 300 meters, capable of causing chaos in enemy ranks, clearing walls and obliterating opposing navies. Whilst simultaneously demonstrating the brutal effectiveness of the Roman military and the power of Roman engineering. Roman fortifications alongside frontier provinces of Britain demonstrate the effective military fortifications the Romans were capable of constructing. The Roman empire built a vast wall stretching across almost all of Northern Britain, with multiple forts, towns, barracks, and murder holes stretched across it; enabling Ancient Rome to keep an entire nation of people away from their borders through sheer engineering and military prowess. Leaving a visible legacy of engineering and military prowess along the England-Scotland border

One of the most distinct aspects of Roman society that individuals with little knowledge of Rome are aware of, and has left a legacy observable through popular media, is Roman entertainment.
Roman entertainment has acquired a well-deserved reputation for it’s violent, discriminatory, and populist nature. It was used to win the favour of the masses, distract the lower classes from their plight, and eliminate potential risks posed to the empire in a beneficial manner. The Roman gladiator games are the very embodiment of everything Roman entertainment was, violent, political, discriminatory, populist and gaudy. Prisoners, slaves, political opponents and unpopular members of society fight would fight amongst one another whilst wearing extravagant uniforms in effort to win appeal amongst the audience and the emperor, typically to attempt to attain freedom or fame. Whilst the emperor would utilise these games as a method to consolidate his power over Roman society and placate the Roman mob by showing amnesty or brutality towards popular or unpopular fighters (The games). Chariot races would be used as another method of the emperor to win over Roman society, they were brutal, entertaining and could be used to foster division amongst the Roman mob by encouraging divisions in their support of different drivers. The most brutal Roman games, however, would occur at the amphitheatre. This was where Romans would spectate events such as Christians being forced to fight off lions, in-arena naval battles done by filling the theatre with water, or gladiators fighting off wild animals. Whilst these spectacles may not always been as popular as the gladiatorial games, they were still immensely successful at winning over popular support and placating the Roman mom, eliminating components of society disliked by the empire whilst demonstrating the engineering ingenuity of the Romans(Roman
entertainment).

The legacy left by Rome’s social, cultural and political developments can be observed in everyday life, often without even being aware of how profound of an influence they have had. Rome serves as both an example of what an ideal society should be, and what a society must never do in order to sustain itself. The legacy of the Roman empire manifests itself on a daily basis through its contribution to Western political and legal institutions and concepts, mathematics and sciences and entertainment. Rome is simultaneously the manifestation of what society should strive for and what society should avoid at all costs.