Rome's Lasting Power

The Ancient Roman Empire. One of the greatest ancient civilizations of the world. What made it so great? What made it so powerful? How were the able to keep this power? There are many possible answers to those questions, like military, trade, architecture, sculpture, infrastructure, propaganda, and politics. However, the most significant characteristic of the Ancient Roman Empire which made it so powerful and allowed it to maintain its power was trade.

Trade meant that while the people were getting goods, they were also distributing them too. There were many different things being traded at that time from all over the world, or what Rome thought the whole world was, such as foods, spices, materials, and other various types of goods. The roads that the Romans ended up building helped make trade quicker and smoother, and allowed people to not only get out of Rome easily to go and trade with other lands, but it helped people from other lands to get to Rome.

The pottery and other longer-lasting items from Rome were a constant reminder for the conquered lands that they were indeed ruled by Rome. Even though they were considerate, only asked for some taxes, let them keep their own established governments, and granted some of them Rome citizen rights, they were still rulers. They still owned the lands. For example, the coins with the emperor’s faces on them reminded the people holding them and trading with them who they had to answer to, reminded them of who was watching over them.

One might argue that propaganda was the most significant characteristic of the Ancient Roman Empire which made it so powerful. Propaganda is defined by dictionary.reference.com as “information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.” In the Roman’s case, their propaganda was created to help their nation and specific people in it. For example, Virgil’s The Aeneid is considered a piece of propaganda because it convinced people that August Caesar, and the rest of the Julius family, were descendants of the gods, thus making them the best people to rule the nation. Propaganda was spread all throughout the Roman Empire, putting thoughts and ideas like this into many peoples’ heads.

Even though propaganda was a big part of the Ancient Roman Empire, so was trade. While both were a way to unite one another and creating some feeling of patriotism, trade was the leading factor of the two. Propaganda was about putting thoughts into other peoples’ heads, not necessarily letting them think of it themselves. The common interests that emerged between buyers and sellers allowed them to communicate easier and easily with one another; spread their ideas and thoughts with one another. That is why trade was the most significant characteristic of the Ancient Roman Empire which made it so powerful and allowed it to keep their power.

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