Why The Roman Civilization Lasted for So Long

By Wamakale David William 

Civilization in any context may refer to a complex human society usually characterized by the development of a political state, social stratification, unrivaled urbanization and a symbolic system of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). In modern historiography, ancient Roman Civilization and vice versa from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th Century B.C.E to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th Century A. D particularly 476A.C.E. This complex period encompasses three stages of Roman civilization and its prominent existence over a period of 1117 years specifically from 614B.C.E to 476A.C.E. This period comprises of Rome as a Kingdom (753-509 B.C.E), the Roman Republic (509-27 B.C.E) and then the Roman Empire (27B.C.E-476A.C.E). Roman Civilization or ancient Rome begun as a result of an Italic settlement, traditionally dated to 753 B.C beside the River Tiber in the Italian peninsula. The settlement grew and came to control its neighbours through a combination of treaties and military strength. It eventually dominated the Italian Peninsula and acquired an empire that took in much of Europe and the lands and peoples surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It was a flourishing civilization and as an empire was among the largest in the ancient world, with an estimated 50-90million inhabitants, roughly 20% of the world's population at the time. The Roman state evolved from an elective monarchy to a democratic classical republic and then to an increasingly semi-elective military dictatorship during the Empire (especially after the Pax Romana period). Through conquest, cultural and lingual assimilation at its height, it controlled the North African coast, Egypt, Southern Europe and most of Western Europe, the Balkans, Crimea and much of the middle East including Anatolia, Levant and parts of Mesopotamia and Arabia. 

Though many factors and reasons can be brought forth in trying to suggest a possible explanation for why the Roman civilization lasted for so long, below are some of the explanations. Conquest. 

Through conquest, Roman civilization was able to last for so long. In the year 98 A.C.E, Trajan succeeded Nerva (96-98 A.C.E) as the new Emperor of Rome. During his reign (98-117 A.C.E), he expanded Rome's borders to the greatest extent in history with victories over the Kingdoms of Dacia (now Northwestern Romania) and Parthia. At the peak of the Roman Empire's territorial extent, it stretched to the North African coast, southern Europe, Western Europe, much of the Middle East and so on. This, as Christopher Kelly describes it "Then the empire stretched from Hadrian's Wall in drizzle-soaked northern England to the sun-baked banks of the Euphrates in Syria; from the great Rhine– Danube river system, which snaked across the fertile, flat lands of Europe from the Low Countries to the Black Sea, to the rich plains of the North African coast and the luxuriant gash of the Nile Valley in Egypt. The empire completely circled the Mediterranean ... referred to by its conquerors as mare nostrum —'our sea". With such an extent therefore all the different inventions and ideas about culture, religion, language and all the associated Roman Civilization elements were spread to such great extents and people allover the region which then comprised of almost a third of the known world. These very ideas went on to be passed d from generation to generation as the Roman Empire continued expanding and strengthening her grip and rule allover the conquered territories hence helping to explain why the Roman Civilization lasted for so long. Strength and efficiency of the Roman Military helped the Roman civilization last for so long. It should be noted that in the infancy of Roman civilization during the Kingdom period, the military was made up of unpaid citizens who saw it an obligation to willingly serve their kingdom without receiving pay. However, as the time went on, the military became professional and the troops started receiving stipends. This encouraged the exponential growth in size of the army over the years. Historian Edward Gibbon estimated that the size of the Roman army "most probably formed a standing force of three hundred and seventy- five thousand men" in the peak time of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138 c.) The soldierly if the Roman military era ranged from lightly armed mounted archers to heavy infantry, in regiments of varying size and quality. This was accompanied by a trend in the late empire of an increasing predominance of cavalry rather than infantry troops, as well as more emphasis on mobile operations. These troops, aided with the well developed road system throughout the Roman empire carried out military campaigns which were utilized to consolidate natural boundaries of the Roman Empire and increase revenues, thus leading to the increased size of the Roman Empire overall. The Roman army was used to protect the Roman frontiers. Through innovations in science and technology, the Roman Civilization lasted for so long. 

Romans contributed to science and medicine through collection of information similar to encylopedias. Pliny the Elder produced a 37-Volume work called Natural History, a storehouse of information in great detailed form on subjects ranging from astronomy to medicine, geography and botany. Such stunning scientific works and discoveries of the Romans proved to be fundamental in various fields of study and were used for centuries. For example, the ideas of the astronomer Ptolemy also influenced scholars for hundreds of years. Ptolemy taught that the earth was at the center of the universe and that the sun and planets revolved around it. These theories were not disapproved until the 1500 hence the long lasting of the Roman Civilization. 

Language and the Latin alphabet. The Roman Civilization was able to last for so long because of the unifying factor of the common language and use of the same dominant Latin alphabet. The Latin language which was spoken by the Romans spread throughout much of Western Europe during the time of the Roman Empire. From this, many languages evolved and these came to be known as the Romance languages. They include(d) French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian. In contemporary terms, around 800million people around the world speak a Romance language. With language as a common term of communication, cultural norms and civilization patterns were passed on from one person to another and the pride of the Roman Civilization plus the need for consolidation of and carrying on the ideas to further areas, the Civilization was able to last for so long. Furthermore, through the Latin alphabet, the Roman civilization was able to last for so long. Written English employs the Latin alphabet, and about one-third of English words are derived from Latin, and at least another third come from languages that are descended from Latin. In the specialized vocabularies of science, medicine, and law, the percentage of Latin or Latin-derived words is even higher, amounting to 90% in the most common estimates. So the very way people in ancient times communicated, both in speech and writing, was primarily through a system developed by the Romans borrowing a leaf on their Latin alphabet hence helping the Roman civilization last for so long. 

The Pax Romana period helped the Roman civilization to last for so long. After decades of political dysfunction, civil wars and assassinations that caused the Roman Republic’s downfall , Ancient Rome flourished during two centuries of relative political stability, tranquility and prosperity known as the Pax Romana (Latin for “Roman Peace”). Ushered in by the ascension of Augustus as the first Roman emperor in 27 B.C., this era of political stability and security lasted until the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 A.D. Although comparatively peaceful, the Roman Empire was hardly devoid of bloodshed during Pax Romana. Tyrannical emperors killed political rivals as Rome brutally suppressed revolts in provinces such as Judea and Britain . And it continued its imperial conquests, which caused Caledonian chieftain Calgacus to quip that the Romans “create a desolation and call it peace.” For many Romans, however, Pax Romana was a golden age of arts, literature and technology. It was a time when the empire doubled in size to stretch from Great Britain to North Africa—and came to include a quarter of the world’s population, according to some estimates Pax Romana helped further Rome's involvement in the Great Silk Road which fostered further exportation of Roman ideas promoted more stability with trade partners. Political stability encouraged money lending and allowed long-distance trade to boom. Sea commerce thrived as the Roman navy under Augustus largely cleared the Mediterranean of pirates. Romans purchased luxurious silks and gems from the Far East and found markets for their glass and rugs as far away as India and China. The investment of imperial resources in large infrastructure projects that would have been unaffordable with local resources integrated the provinces and brought further economic benefits. Under Augustus alone, Rome built 50,000 miles of new roads that eased the movement of troops, information and goods. Water flowing through Roman aqueducts allowed cities to prosper. Bridges and harbors built by Trajan as part of an enormous public works program also spurred trade. With such peace and further travel through long distance trade, the Roman Civilization got a new chance to spread to further areas fostered by the Romans themselves hence explaining why the Roman civilization lasted for so long. Endurance of Rome from Kingdom to Empire helped the Roman civilization last for so long. 

It should be noted that the Roman Civilization lasted for 1117 years. This period had significant events, inventions, and ocurrances from political, economical to social and religious among others. 

It was at first the period of the kings known commonly as the Roman Kingdom or The Regal Period. This lasted from 753–509 BCE and was the time during which kings (beginning with Romulus) ruled over Rome. These kingly rulers were not like the despots of Europe or the East. A group of the people known as the curia elected the king, so the position wasn't hereditary. There was also a senate of elders who advised the kings. It was in the Regal Period that the Romans forged their identity. 

 The second period was known as the Republic period. This lasted from 510 to 27 B.C and it was during thus period that a prototype of modern day Republics was forged. This period saw a sway of inventions in different aspects particularly in law and order, moral ethics, leadership structures among others and is thought to have ended with the assassination of Caesar the Dictator. 

 The third period during Roman Civilization was the Imperial Rome which begun with ascention of Augustus as the first Emperor of Rome. This lasted from 27 B.C-476 AD and saw different periods including one of prosperity called the Pax Romana. Therefore, with such a long time line with its associated implications, the Roman Civilization was bound to last almost forever hence explaining why the Roman Civilization lasted for so long. 

Through architectural innovations, the Roman Civilization lasted for so long. They built aqueducts to bring water into the cities for all to use. They also built public buildings like bath houses. To build many of these projects the Romans perfected concrete. Roman concrete allowed them to build strong and durable buildings at a lower cost than stone. They also included inventions of the mega Roman Bath complexes. These baths with their large covered spaces, were important drivers in architectural innovations notably in the use of domes. Romans built baths in at least every city in the empire and these were the ancestors of contemporary spas and bath houses featuring hot water pools as well as centralized heating systems that warmed up the floors and walls. These were designed for bathing and relaxing and were a common feature of cities throughout the Roman Empire. Baths and the need to create large airy rooms with lofty ceilings brought the development of the architectural dome. The earliest surviving dome in Roman architecture is from the frigidarium of the stabian baths at Pompeii dating 2nd century C.E. The development of concrete in form of stiff mortared rubble allowed unsupported walls to be built ever wider apart as did hollow brick barrel vaults supported by buttress arches and the use of iron tie bars. These features would become wwidely used in other public buildings and especially in large constructions such as basilicae. Even in modern times, Roman baths have continued to influence designers, for example both the Chicago Railroad Station and Pennsylvania Station in New York, USA have perfectly copied the architecture of the great frigidarium of the baths of Caracalla, Rome, Italy hence the long lasting of the Roman Civilization. 

In conclusion, due to the Roman Empire's vast extent and long endurance, the institutions and culture of Rome had a profound and lasting influence on the development of language , religion , art ,architecture , literature, philosophy , law , and forms of government in the territory it governed and these became models for the classical civilizations as well as modern day civilizations. Therefore after lasting over 1000 years, bringing about enduring impacts onto almost all aspects of life and contemporary circumstances, it is justifiable to mention that the different elements explained in the essay above were fundamental in helping the Roman civilization last for so long.