- The Roman empire reached it peak in 117 CE.
- When Rome was at its peak, it was the most extensive political and social structure in western civilization.
- Rome fell in 476 ad.
Rise of Rome
- With secure borders and a stable government, the empire had prosperity, technological advancements, increasing arts, and tons of trade.
- Compared to the population of only 1 million in 1 AD, the population increased to 60 million by 300 AD.
- The Roman economy was slave based, meaning
Fall of Rome
- Emperor Constantine named Constantinople, located in the eastern empire, the new capitol of the empire, and left the western empire to weaken and fail.
- Roman wealth had been in the hands of the people, but when the empire grew too large, there was a bigger gap in social classes.
- Social decay, Romans lost their sense of patriotism, public health problems, political corruption, unemployment, inflation, urban decay, inferior technology, military spending.
Reasons for the Rise of Rome
- Naval Dominance: After Rome conquered almost all of the Italian peninsula in the 3rd century BC, the Roman Empire gained control over long stretches of coastline, strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The position boosted the wealth of Rome and provided them with the option to build up a powerful navy. This was useful when they came into contact with the Carthaginians, they dominated the northern coasts of Africa and the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Roman navy battled the Carthaginians int he Punic Wars, and won the control of the all important Mediterranean Sea, enabling them to control all trade and drop Roman troops anywhere along the coast to quickly reach far away battlefields.
- Appeasement: Rome figured out early that the best way to project its power outward was to keep its conquered countries happy. Respecting local cultures reduced the drain on military with fewer revolts to take care of, freeing it to continue expanding Rome's area of control. They typically protected local customs, religions, and other things to keep the locals happy.
- Improved Stability, Protection, Commerce, Government: For most of its captives, the Romans represented a better way of life. Its military might enabled the Roman Empire to protect civilizations from barbaric raids better than previous regimes. Plus, the advanced Roman road system, and centralized currency/trade laws, enabled free trade throughout the empire, increasing the export markets and access to diverse and more affordable goods. Therefore, most conquered peoples enjoyed greater prosperity under Roman rule compared to their pre-Roman economic systems (or lack thereof). By today’s standards, Rome was still a society rife with inequality, as slaves comprised about a quarter of the population. There was a substantial lower, “peasant” class with limited rights. However, slavery and inequality were common features of ancient societies of the time.
- Standardization: Trade, currency, laws, freedom of movement, measurement systems, and many others were all standardized under the Roman Empire, facilitating improved commerce, governance, administration of law, travel, among many other things.
- Infrastructural Advances. Rome brought innovative, new technologies to its provinces such as aqueducts to provide for running water, cement mixing technologies for better construction, architectural design, etc.
- Food Allocation. Rome centralized control of base products, such as wheat and grain, avoiding disruptions in the food supply, which is a leading cause of riots and instability. If one region of the empire was suffering food shortages, then Roman planners could facilitate economical distribution of needed food products from another part of the empire that enjoyed surpluses. However, grain came primarily from North Africa, a territory which was farmed so heavily, its formerly fertile areas became permanently damaged, transforming into agriculturally-hostile desert.
- Military Prowess. Rome introduced the world’s first professional army. It was more trained and disciplined than any other force. It's advanced naval capability and road system meant quick deployment. The Romans were also effective at supplementing its manpower-hungry army with mercenaries as necessary. However, this would ultimately be a major pitfall for the Roman Empire later in history, contributing to the decline and collapse of Rome, as the high percentage of mercenaries resulted in an army more loyal to its commander than the empire itself, causing multiple government overthrows in its final days.
- Geopolitical. It has been proven throughout history that any state that can control the Mediterranean Sea can project power throughout Europe, West Asia and North Africa. By developing a dominant navy, Rome did just this, gaining control over a vast empire that was centered around the Mediterranean Sea. However, after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, this would prove to be an impossible task throughout most of the Dark Ages, as piracy would overwhelm state navies.
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