Thursday, August 22, 2019
Roman Civilization Essay Example for Free
Roman Civilization Essay Abstract The Roman civilization was one of the greatest civilizations in world history. It spanned almost a thousand years and stretched from Europe to Africa. Although the Roman civilization is already long extinct, its legacy is still an important part of todays social institutions such as government and religion. The Roman Civilization            The Roman civilization is one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in history. It was well-known for its political, economic, cultural and technological advancements that allowed it to expand from Europe to Africa (MSN Encarta, 2007). So consequential is the Roman civilization that most of its practices are still in use today. Ancient Rome            The Roman civilization was believed to have started almost 3,000 years ago on the hills beside the Tiber River in central Italy (MSN Encarta, 2007). What began as an encampment of shepherds huts later evolved into the city of Rome (MSN Encarta, 2007). It is sometimes claimed that the land and environment of Italy proved to be condusive for the growth of Roman civilization (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Being a peninsula, Italy is separated from the rest of Europe by sea on the east, west and south and the Alps mountain range on the north (MSN Encarta, 2007). The country in general enjoys a temperate climate, with hot summers in the south (MSN Encarta, 2007). Italys western coast and offshore islands have several volcanoes such as Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius, resulting in fertile land in some parts of Latium, Campania and Sicily (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Italys timber-rich mountains had vast meadows where sheep and goats grazed during the summer (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Tiber River was abundant in salt and Etruria had large iron deposits (MSN Encarta, 2007). North-south land routes boosted the Roman economy by improving commerce, agriculture, pasturage and metalwork (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus and Remus – The Founders of Rome            According to Roman myth, twin brothers Romulus and Remus founded Rome in 753 BC (MSN Encarta, 2007). They were the grandsons of King Numitor, the ruler of the ancient city of Alba Longa in Latium (MSN Encarta, 2007). But Numitors brother seized the throne and also tried to kill the twins by having them thrown into the Tiber (MSN Encarta, 2007). The twins miraculously survived – they were washed ashore and were nursed by a she-wolf (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Upon reaching adulthood, Romulus and Remus brought Numitor back to his throne and formed a new city located on top of Palatine Hill (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus had this new city surrounded with a wall, which Remus scornfully jumped over in an attempt to assert his leadership (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus killed him as a result, later becoming the citys first king and naming it after him (MSN Encarta, 2007). Life in Ancient Rome            Ancient Roman society was religious and family-oriented (MSN Encarta, 2007). Family and religion not only influenced personal and social relations, but also public and political activities (MSN Encarta, 2007). These two social institutions were said to be the â€Å"twin pillars of Roman society for the five centuries of the Roman Republic†(MSN Encarta, 2007).            The Ancient Roman Family.            Family relationships in ancient Rome reflected the patriarchal nature of the Roman state (MSN Encarta, 2007). The father (paterfamilias) wielded absolute and lifelong power (patria potestas) over his wife, children and slaves (MSN Encarta, 2007). He was also the â€Å"the priest of the cult of his ancestors and of the hearth gods of the family†(the ancient Romans practiced ancestral worship) (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Roman marriage existed primarily to continue bloodlines (MSN Encarta, 2007). The fathers family had sole custody of all legitimate children (MSN Encarta, 2007). Should a divorce occur, the mother was required to leave the children with her husband (MSN Encarta, 2007). In addition, Roman law allowed a father to abandon an infant at birth – unwanted children during this period were either deformed boys or daughters of families who cannot afford a dowry (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was also considered legal under Roman law for a father to kill an adult son as â€Å"punishment†for â€Å"treasonous†behavior (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Despite the all-encompassing authority of the father, the ancient Roman family remained tightly-knit (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was the parents themselves who educated their children (MSN Encarta, 2007). To prepare their sons for citizenship, fathers would bring them along to forums, where they can observe public meetings (MSN Encarta, 2007). During funerals, ancient Roman sons were also obliged to deliver speeches that praised the deceased and their forefathers in order to sustain family pride and myths (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Ancient Roman women usually married between 14 and 17 years old, with their husbands often at their mid-20s (MSN Encarta, 2007). Although children during this era were not forced into wedlock, only few were able to refuse arranged marriages (MSN Encarta, 2007). A divorce can only take place if it was the husband who wanted it (MSN Encarta, 2007).            However, women still enjoyed relative freedom in ancient Rome (MSN Encarta, 2007). They could attend public and private banquets, where they freely interacted with men (MSN Encarta, 2007). When a father died without a will, his estate was divided equally between his sons and daughters (MSN Encarta, 2007). But daughters were commonly included in the bequests of their fathers (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Religion.            Ancient Rome was a predominantly agricultural civilization (MSN Encarta, 2007). Hence, Romans believed that deities governed every aspect of the natural world (MSN Encarta, 2007). They even tried to â€Å"construe†the â€Å"will†of the gods by analyzing animal activities and body parts (MSN Encarta, 2007).            The Romans, however, adopted from the Etruscans a religion that was based from the Greek pantheon or family of gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). As a result, most Greek gods have Roman counterparts (MSN Encarta, 2007). Zeus (Greek god of the skies) was Jupiter for the Romans (MSN Encarta, 2007). Hera (Zeus wife), Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) and Ares (Greek god of war) became Juno, Venus and Mars, respectively (MSN Encarta, 2007).            The Romans also believed that devotion through prayers, festivals and sacrifices were necessary for the community to have a harmonious relationship with the gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). Kings and civil magistrates first officiated the aforementioned activities, but priests and priestesses later facilitated the worship of particular gods and goddesses (MSN Encarta, 2007). An example of the latter would be the vestal virgins who served hearth goddess Vesta (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Some of the months in the Roman calendar, as well as the days of the week, were also named after the gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). January was named after Janus, the god of beginnings (MSN Encarta, 2007). March was taken from Mars (MSN Encarta, 2007). September was derived from the Latin term septem (â€Å"seven†) – March originally was the first month of the Roman calender (MSN Encarta, 2007). October, November and December were based on the Latin words for eight, ninth and tenth, respectively (MSN Encarta, 2007).            However, the English names of the days of the week was patterned after Germanic gods and goddesses (MSN Encarta, 2007). Friday, for instance, was a day that was dedicated to Venus (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was taken from Freia, the German goddess of love (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Politics.            The leaders of Ancient Rome were kings who â€Å"had wide military and judicial powers and represented the people to their gods†(MSN Encarta, 2007). The kings who succeeded Romulus were appointed and advised by the Senate, a governmental institution whose members were from noble clans (MSN Encarta, 2007). These tasks of the Senate enabled the Roman elites to dominate Romes religious, political and economic life (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Meanwhile, the Assembly of the People was a Roman political body that was composed of all male Roman citizens (MSN Encarta, 2007). Divided into 30 curiae or clans, members of the assembly initially met to â€Å"witness the announcement of a new king or a declaration of war†(MSN Encarta, 2007). Later, each of the clans gathered to cast their votes regarding the approval of a certain will or adoption (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman Republic            During the Roman Republic (510 BC-27 BC), Rome â€Å"grew from a small city of 10,000 into a great cosmopolitan metropolis of 1 million whose empire of 15 million subjects encompassed the entire Mediterranean basin†(MSN Encarta, 2007). Therefore, the Roman Republic was sometimes known as the period of expansion of Roman civilization (Hooker, 1996). However, they encountered social and economic problems that resulted from imposing conventional laws and institutions on subjects whose cultures were very much different from theirs (MSN Encarta, 2007). Governance            The Roman monarchy was abolished after Junius Brutus toppled the Tarquin dynasty in 509 BC (Hooker, 1996). The Romans then assumed a republican form of government but retained their constitution, a series of unwritten laws and traditions that were still based from the monarchy (Hooker, 1996). As a result, the republics new leaders, the consuls, were no different from the kings (Hooker, 1996). Although the consuls were elected and held one-year terms, they were also the heads of the Roman military and judiciary, as well as the nations chief priests (Hooker, 1996).            However, the consuls had severely limited powers (Hooker, 1996). After finishing their one-year term, they had to be reelected for another term if they wish to become a consul again (Hooker, 1996). In addition, the republic was supposed to be ruled by two consuls (Hooker, 1996). No consul can act or decide without the other consuls approval (Hooker, 1996). Lastly, consuls were mandated to serve on the Senate as soon as their term expires (Hooker, 1996). The Law of the Twelve Tables            It would be fair to say that the Roman Republic promoted the rights of the ordinary citizen (Hooker, 1996). In 450 BC, Romes constitution and laws were standardized and put into order through the Law of the Twelve Tables (Hooker, 1996). As a result, the Roman masses became aware of the rights that the law has granted upon them (Hooker, 1996). Intermarriage between plebians and patricians were allowed in 445 BC and the position of consul was opened to plebians in 367 BC (Hooker, 1996). By 287 BC, the vote of the plebian  assembly â€Å"were not only binding on the plebeians, but on the entire Roman citizenry†(Hooker, 1996). Crisis            In order to widen itslef, the Roman Republic waged many wars, including the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) (Hooker, 1996). But these hostilities had serious social and economic consequences for Rome (Hooker, 1996). The Second Punic war, for instance, further widened the gap between the rich and the poor in Rome (Hooker, 2006).            Prior to the Second Punic War, ordinary Roman citizens worked as farmers, craftsmen or laborers (Hooker, 1996). They were able to live well because they tilled their own land or received decent wages (Hooker, 1996). But while Hannibal destroyed the Roman countryside, the elites remained quietly within the walls of Rome (Hooker, 1996).            Their farmlands gone, the Romans living in the countryside had no choice but to migrate to the cities (Hooker, 1996). The rich Romans, meanwhile, bought the ravaged lands and developed them into large plantations (Hooker, 1996). These establishments dominated Roman agriculture by the middle of the second century (Hooker, 1996).            Furthermore, wars led to the proliferation of slaves in Rome and Roman territories (Hooker, 1996). As slaves provided labor at wages that were almost below subsistence level, the Roman economy shifted from a laborer economy to a slave economy (Hooker, 2006). Poor Romans who were not slaves suddenly found themselves unemployed or taking jobs that paid very little (Hooker, 1996). This resulted in the beginning of the Roman Republics unpopularity with the people (Hooker, 1996). The Roman Empire            The social instability during the later part of the Roman Republic produced dictators such as the Gracchi brothers (UNRV, 2008). Increasing public frustration over the republic made the people turn to citizen assemblies for the discussion of popular agendas instead of to the Senate (UNRV, 2008). However, overeliance on citizen assemblies bred unscrupulous and opportunistic leaders such as Maruis and Sulla (UNRV, 2008). Roman politics was divided between the conservative Optimate Senators who tried to preserve the political dominance of the elite and the Populares who was supported by the lower classes (UNRV, 2008). As a result, the last 100 years of the Roman Republic was characterized with political instability and violence (UNRV, 2008). Caesar Augustus            After many years of civil war, the Senate proclaimed Gaius Octavius emperor in 27 BC, giving him the name Augustus (â€Å"exalted†or â€Å"holy one†) (MSN Encarta, 2007). Historians often said that the proclamation of Gaius Octavius as emperor marked the beginning of the Roman Empire (27 BC-476 AD) (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman Republic was never revived since (MSN Encarta, 2007).            The Regime of Augustus.            Augustus rule (27 BC-14 AD) was marked with absolute power (MSN Encarta, 2007). However, it transformed Rome into â€Å"the greatest and most influential political institution in European history†(MSN Encarta, 2007). Thus, Augustus was said to have started the Pax Romana (â€Å"Roman Peace†), a period of peace and prosperity in Rome that lasted for about 200 years (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Under Augustus, the empire acquired new territories, such as ancient Britain, Arabia and Dacia (now Romania) (MSN Encarta, 2007). Rome became the center of politics, trade and culture in the Mediterranean region (MSN Encarta, 2007). Rome was seen as a place of opportunity – people from the Roman provinces who went there usually became soldiers, bureaucrats and senators (MSN Encarta, 2007).            The Roman Empire also tolerated cultural differences among its subjects (MSN Encarta, 2007). The empire promoted Greek art, literature and philosophy, the Jewish religious and ethical system, the then-new religion of Christianity, the astronomy and astrology of the Babylonians and Persian and Egyptian culture (MSN Encarta, 2007). With the exceptions of leaders like Caligula and Nero, most Roman emperors were competent and just (MSN Encarta, 2007). Fall of the Roman Empire            The murder of Emperor Commodus in 192 was the precedent for the collapse of the Roman Empire (MSN Encarta, 2007). After his demise, rivalry over the imperial throne resulted in a civil war that proved to be detrimental to the whole empire (MSN Encarta, 2007). Political institutions collapsed, the army was weakened and the economy crashed (MSN Encarta, 2007). The civil war lasted for about a century until the Roman Empire quietly ended in 476 (MSN Encarta, 2007). Reasons for the Fall            The selection process for a Roman emperor was facilitated by the incumbent emperor, the Senate, the army and the Praetorian Guard (the emperors personal security forces) (Harker, n.d.). But the Praetorian Guard later had the sole authority in choosing the emperor (Harker, n.d.). In exchange for the Praetorian Guards support, the emperor rewarded them with political and military favors (Harker, n.d.). By 186 AD, the practice of selling the throne to the highest bidder was already a â€Å"tradition†in Roman politics (Harker, n.d.).            In addition, the Roman Empire spent too much on its military (Harker, n.d.). Since the empire was very vast, protecting it from invaders was very expensive (Harker, n.d.). A huge portion of taxes were spent on soldiers and weapons, instead of on housing, roads and aqueducts (Harker, n.d.). When the empire did not have enough money, it raised taxes, leading to strong public discontent among ordinary Roman citizens (Harker, n.d.). Conclusion            Even if the Roman civilization no longer exists, its legacy is still an important part of modern society. Roman laws and Latin remain to be integral in the legal profession, governance and religion (MSN Encarta, 2007). Christianity is still one of the worlds major religions (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Latin gradually evolved into languages and dialects such as Provenà §al, French, Spanish and Catalan (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman civilization also served as an important influence in Renaissance art, literature and politics (MSN Encarta, 2007). Renaissance sculptors revived the Greco-Roman trend of realism (after centuries of theocentrism), while Renaissance architects used Greek and Roman designs for their creations (MSN Encarta, 2007). William Shakespeares works were based on Roman comedies (MSN Encarta, 2007).            Philosophers and political theorists in the succeeding centuries used Roman laws and Roman concepts of freedom and tyranny as a reference for their own writings and discourses (MSN Encarta, 2007). These ideas also inspired revolutionaries in America and France to liberate their respective countries (MSN Encarta, 2007). References Harker, K. Killeen Harker Heights Connections. (n.d.). Reasons for the Fall of the Roman            Empire. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://killeenroos.com/1/Romefall.htm Hooker, R. World Civilizations. (1996). Rome: The Roman Republic. Retrieved May 7, 2008,            from http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ROME/REPUBLIC.HTM MSN Encarta. (2007). Ancient Rome. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from            http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552589/Ancient_Rome.html MSN Encarta. (2007). Roman Empire. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from            http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_1741502785/Roman_Empire.html UNRV. (2008). Fall of the Roman Republic. Retrieved May 8, 2007, from            http://www.unrv.com/roman-republic/fall-of-roman-republic.php
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