What Enabled the Romans to Build Their Empire?
One of the key ingredients to the Roman Empire’s success was their army. The Roman Army conquered many countries, which included England/Wales, Spain, France, Germany, Northern Africa, parts of the Middle East and Greece (O” Brain 1).
There are three reasons the Roman Army was so successful: their training, ability to invent new military tactics, and the rapidness in which they learned. The Roman Army consisted of legionnaires, which were lower level (foot soldiers) Roman soldiers, staff officers and commissioned officers. One can argue that the legionnaires were the most important component in the Roman army. Although their training was at times hard and brutal, they were taught to fight in a discipline and specific manner (O’Brian 1).
Legionnaires went into battle equipped with three main weapons: Pilum, which resembled something like a Javelin, Gladius there main weapon and used for close quarter fighting, and the Pugio, which resembled a small dagger (O’ Brain 1).
Legionnaires were men that were handpicked for their skills and all were Roman citizens, unlike the auxiliary troops who were mostly comprised of foreigners. Legionnaires were paid more then the auxiliary troops. However, the entire Roman Army were known for their courage, and physical fitness, which was in part due to being forced to carry their weapons, two weeks of provisions and tools for pitching camp (O’ Brian 1).
Another major component to the Roman Army’s success were their engineers who built moveable towers that were used in sieges. Roman soldiers climbed inside of these towers, thus able to see over the walls of any fortified place and shoot stones and arrows into it. Roman engineers also made scaling ladders, which enabled the soldiers to get over walls (O’ Brian 1).
Roman engineers used their technology to build structures for Rome, making it a city where people wanted to live. The phrase “All roads lead to Rome” was in fact true. Roman engineers built eleven aqueducts, which provided the citizens of Rome with 38 million gallons of water every day. The aqueducts helped bring water to Rome from places as far away as 57 miles (Aqueducts 2). In 2006, the structures that were built during the Roman Empire still exist, the Roman aqueduct system still supplies water to certain fountains in Rome (Aqueducts 2).
Another major technological achievement by Roman engineers was their sewer system, which made it possible for Rome to become the largest city in the world; one million at the height of the Empire (Aqueducts 2).
Rome’s leadership ability was another factor in helping to build the Roman Empire. If a city was defeated by another empire, its citizens were forced from the land or enslaved. However, Rome extended citizenship to the people they conquered, which eventually contributed to Rome’s demise. Rome eventually collapsed under the weight of its vast holdings and the citizens that they were responsible for.
To conclude, the Roman Army conquers numerous countries, once these countries were secured, Rome’s leadership ability, which showed itself by extending citizenship to the people they conquered, helped to bring new allies to Rome. Consequently, new ideas were formed, which helped to add strength to Rome, an already powerful state. This Rome, full of a vast and varied population, created technological innovations such as roads, aqueducts and sewer systems, which are still used to today. However, what made Rome strong was what weakened them, but in the beginning these elements contributed to forming the Roman Empire; great and strong.
Bibliography
“Aqueducts” Roman Empire. Internet. http://www.crystalinks.com/rom.html. 07/12.
O, Brian, Hillary. “Roman’s Army.” Roman Page. 1995-96. Internet http://www.ioi.ie~coolmine/typ/romans/romarmy.html. 07/12.
