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Roman Government:
• The Roman government governed over 1,000 miles of land successfully.
• It was able to collect taxes from every edge of the Empire(places like
Judea, and Spain).
• It was able to conduct massive public works projects such as paved
roads, large arenas(the Colosseum), build public baths, even a complex
sewer system that allowed for running water(in certain places)
• The government was able to keep track of its citizens. It took detailed
censuses. A census is a list of fact about a people in an area. In includes
things like income, population, and age.
• Rome had a system of codified, written law. This meant that laws could
not be made up. It helped fight abuse of power with the government. The
Roman laws were written as the twelve tables.
• Rome had judges called Aediles and Praetors that would hear law cases
and hands out rulings.
• Roman government allowed for participation from both the upper and
lower classes.
• The Patricians could participate with the government on many levels(such
as the Senate, consuls, praetors, the general assemble, and the
Centuriate Assembly),
• The Plebeians had their own assembly as well as the Tribunes, who were
administrators that could only be Plebeian.
• The government kept control of a massive army with thousands of
warriors.
• The Roman government was so organized that it was able to collect
enough grain to provide welfare for almost a quarter of the citizens of the
city.
• The Roman government organized thousands of people for large sporting
events such as gladiator matches. It also organized large Religious
festivals that included theater, music, and dance.
• The Roman government provided soldiers with their armor.
Roman Military:
• The Roman military was massive. At its height, the Roman army
consisted of 153,600 soldiers.
• The soldiers were organized into Legions. Each legion consisted of 5,120
soldiers.
• The Roman military conquered many peoples. They defeated Carthage
in three wars and finally wiped it off the map. They were able to conquer
Egypt as well.
• They were able to conquer Greece, which included the mighty Spartans
as well as the Athenians.
• The Roman army was one of the most technologically advanced fighting
forces of its time. Soldiers were equipped with deadly short swords,
javelins, and large effective shields.
• The Roman military used catapults to launch flaming rocks onto its
enemies.
• The Roman soldiers were equipped strong steel armor that could protect
the effectively from the shields and axes of their opponents.
• The Romans were able to adopt useful weapons and tactics from groups
they came into contact with. They developed a navy of warships by
copying Carthaginian design.
• Rome was able to have a large army because it had a professional army.
This meant the being a soldier was not a duty, it could be a life long
career.
• Because soldiers spent their lives in the army, the Roman army was one
of the most highly trained and efficient fighting forces in the ancient world.
Roman Economy
• Rome used its location on the Mediterranean to maintain an extremely
successful sea trade that went as far as Israel and Spain.
• Rome also used the Tiber river to import as well as exports goods from all
over Italy.
• Roman also use its extensive system of roads to maintain a strong land
trade all over Europe. They traded with places as far away as Britain.
• The Roman economy traded with places as far away as China.
• By minting coins, the Romans created a uniform currency that could be
accepted throughout its massive empire.
• Rome created coins of brass, bronze, copper, silver, and gold.
• Having a uniform currency meant that there were never any exchange
issues.
• The Romans used slaves to grow massive amounts of food that they
used to trade with other countries.
• Rome exported wine and olive oil as well as grain. Wine was the most
important export.
• Food was the most important industry within the Roman empire.
• Roman was so wealthy it was able to import spices from India, silks from
China, ivory, and silver from Britain and Spain.
• The Roman empire was able to manufacture on a large scale, hand made
pottery, glassware, weapons, tools, jewels, and textiles.