One reason why Rome was successful was that it could build a strong army. Rome was a small city-state and did not have many people, but it built an army using the people it conquered. These people were persuaded to join the army with promises of land from the Romans. Many people from conquered areas joined Rome’s army, and this helped Rome conquer new places and establish a big empire.
The second reason Rome was successful was that its leaders, the emperors, had so much
power. In Rome, all the important decisions were made by the emperors, and the people of Rome did not oppose these leaders. Since nobody opposed the emperors, they could freely do things like start wars or build extensive road systems and water systems, and this control was critical for the growth of the empire.
A third reason Rome was successful was that it had a lot of wealth. A lot of taxes were collected by the Roman government, and this helped Rome control its empire better. The Roman Empire expanded into many areas with land that was good for growing food. Farmers working the rich farmland grew wealthy, and the money collected from wealthy farmers was used by the Roman government to better protect and manage the empire.
Yet, even though Rome was very successful, in the end the Roman Empire fell. Many historians believe that the same things that made Rome great also made it fall in the end.