What Best Describes A Grand Empire

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

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What best describes grand empire? Perchance it is an enormous size, influence over other states or riches that win it recognition beyond doubt. Whatever the case is, some empires are greater than others are and stand out all the time. Looking back at the past 3500 years, Rome was water logged and the Acropolis was a rock-strewn. However, it was at the wink of it grand age- the birth of new regime. This paper focuses on why Rome is a great empire, what factors contribute to it greatness hence its strengths that make it stand out from the rest, making it a universal covet.

First, there was a sudden escalation of innovation, affluence and influence making her the talk of the world. What followed were the effects of conquest. This was the most heroic of the regime thought out her past. What was the outcome of the conquest? The outcomes were extremely pathetic but a good wakeup call such that Rome became go-getters, power thirsty and oppressed their dominated subjected. They pillaged foreign states becoming more greedy, to adore wealth than honor, pampering in total luxury and loathed the simplicity of their founding fathers.

Nevertheless, conquest made Rome the grand super regime that she is. She controlled foreign nations under her influence, compelled to manage them and develop a law system that governed them all. Despite the faults, the government of Rome was the most triumphant than ever before. Her approach to secure conquest depicted Roman’s true character. The main effect of the conquest changed Rome from the greatest conquering people of the universe to a world grand governing people.

The new roman government stronghold was the way it organized her eight provinces namely Africa, that was acquired after the third Punic war, Farther Spain obtained in the Punic war, Sardinia and Corsica conquered through the period between the first and the second Punic war, Macedonia, Sicily, Illyricum and Hither Spain. Her governing approach was alike to that used in Italy. To effectively control the newly acquired cities, Rome decided to use Italy method so they remained exclusively disconnect from one another hence they could not come together to resist her power. Therefore, all the cities were directly answerable to Rome. The only distinction between the Italian and the provincial civic was that Italian towns provided military support and ships whilst the provincial civic provided grain and cash. Additionally, Italian did not pay taxes and tribute was part of the provincial land.

Rome administered justice in the civil matters; individual magistrates arbitrated civilian cases from every town. In case of wrangles between the civilians from different towns, then it was the work of a governor. At the start of his or her term in the office, his duties were to give edict and setting ruling for resolving the conflicts. The next governor reissued the rules of the forerunner possibly with modifications for better ruling. Therefore, justice was practically fair in all the provinces and progressed to a superb system of legal principles, known as law of nations. Law of nations played a very essential role in the Roman law.

Apart from the land and the armies that Rome conquered, there was also foreign knowledge or ideas. She also acquired religion and arts. She did not leave the cultured and enlightened people caught in the battle and the slaves became teachers for their children and writers of books. It is through such channels that Rome got foreign influence and ideologies. Greece was the most influential foreign state. Rome’s sophistication was an attribution of Greece. Foreign influence was clear in her literature, arts, taboos, religion and values.

Rome had a great senate- the noble wanted to administrate the universe through senate. They were chosen by censor, who was complied to position upon his listing, giving a priority to those who had held similar position in the office. On such accounts, the nobilities had the primary claim to a seat in the senate; and therefore, they came from a body of members of great characters. Those chosen as senators served in the seat for life, unless disgraced for misconduct or death. Nobilities acquired control of the senate, which became, actually, the most long-term and influential office in the Roman administration. Senate was an upper class and elite body comprising of some of the most capable men in Rome. These men were rich, had great distinction and normally of exceptional political aptitude. Although they were motivated by selfishness, ambition and greed, it was still the best body of rulers that ever has been in the existence in the ancient world. Somehow, the finances state were under good management, controlled the construction of public works, guided far-off policies, ensured the proper administration of the provinces and largely determined the personality of legislation and lastly, the genuine sovereign of the Roman nationality.

Although Rome had all the above approaches in their administration enabling it to rise as a powerful regime, it did not mean she did not have faults as well. Some of her weaknesses were experienced in assemblies (Collins &Stephen, 2010, 312).It is for this reason that the whole world concluded with the more powers in the senate that of the common assembly would diminish. This was because the earlier patrician of the curies had deteriorated in performance, what had remained of it was just a shadow. On the other hand, the other two assemblies mainly the tribe and the centuries had a distinctive position as a legislative body. The decline in influence from the assembly was because of awkward characters and expanding custom of initial submissions to the senate proposals that were to be passed upon by the very assembly. This meant that as long as the senate had more powers in the state, the common assemblies were unproductive and feeble.

Further, Rome believed in tax collection. Revenues were solely obtained from the new provinces. However, the taxes were not directly through the state offices rather it was more of a business contracted to money dealers known as publican. The publicans agreed to make payments to the treasury a specific amount from the collection of taxes in all provinces. Any extra money collected was their personal use. This was selfish, the devastated civilians called it "farming" for lack of better words. This tarnished the name of a great state and was the main reason for totalitarianism. Further, the governors had the authority to protect the civilians yet did nothing about it. On the other hand, the governors got no payments so they took advantage of the extra money. Like all other conquering states, the Romans fell for the trap to benefit themselves at the expense of their people.

Duiker, William J., and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World History: To 1500. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage, 2009.

Steel & Philip, 29

Bottom of FormRome became great by her conquest, and to some extent, a sophisticated nation who have appropriated and conserved many aspects of the primeval world. Concurrently, they were selfish, greedy and ambitious. They also lacked actual understanding and charitable spirit that are trait of human culture. Woolf, Greg. Rome: An Empire's Story. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.

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