How did the Roman Empire last so long?

Yorick · 02-12-2004, 03:50 AM

How could such a small country maintain direct control over most of the ancient civilisations of the world, including the volatile middle east, and indirect influence over the rest for 700 odd years?

And what were the reasons for it ending?

[ 02-12-2004, 03:51 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

Davros · 02-12-2004, 04:19 AM

Cricket [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hold on - the absence of cricket [img]smile.gif[/img]

Yes - really

Djinn Raffo · 02-12-2004, 04:25 AM

Superior military tactics.

Skippy1 · 02-12-2004, 05:33 AM

Perhaps the introduction of a working form of government. You have to remember that when the Romans began expanding through Ancient Europe there were no countries, no laws and the only social interaction was raiding the mob down the road to steal their food and rape their women. With the advance of the Romans came Laws, Taxes and Governance. With the Laws came security. With the Taxes cmae road building and public amenities. (The Romans quite liked a bath, something unheard of before in Europe!

) With the governance came the opportunity to prosper without the fear of having your hard work destroyed.

A bit simplistic perhaps, but you get the drift........

Stratos · 02-12-2004, 09:20 AM

What Skippy1 said, an organized goverment and army.

Cloudbringer · 02-12-2004, 09:27 AM

they didn't have good tea

pritchke · 02-12-2004, 10:56 AM

Funny how such a little town came to rule much of the world.

Rome was/is believed to have been founded by survivors from Troy.

[ 02-12-2004, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Dreamer128 · 02-12-2004, 11:22 AM

Really? I thought it was founded by farmers and merchants [img]smile.gif[/img]

Djinn Raffo · 02-12-2004, 12:50 PM

Rome was founded by two twins raised by wolves.

Pikachu_PM · 02-12-2004, 12:51 PM

A simple response to a very complex question:

Remember...when Rome first started conqouring Europe there weren't 'countries' as we know them today, mostly just a collection of independent city states and tirbes with local warlords.

Romes military training/organization were matched only by her revolutioanry logistic and buracratic systems. They were the first western power to REALLY create a central government that could organize all the local populations under 'one' rule' THis organization created a power so strong that no outside force could realsticlaly conqour it....and is why The Empire only collapsed when it fell in on itself.

The 2 largest factors in maintaining control over conqoured territories....1. they were technologically superior to everybody else and could provide higher quality of lives. 2. after conqouring a city, they rebuilt it, modernized it, and let those people become Roman citizens. Its like this...lets say Russia conqoured America and made sure every American citizen had a flying car, lived with playboy playmates in a Mansion, and were each mult-millionaires (meanwhile, the rest the world stayed its good old self). Would you really be bothered buy the fact that we were conqoured?

02-12-2004, 03:50 AM	#1
Yorick Very Mad Bird Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam) Age: 53 Posts: 9,246	How could such a small country maintain direct control over most of the ancient civilisations of the world, including the volatile middle east, and indirect influence over the rest for 700 odd years? And what were the reasons for it ending? [ 02-12-2004, 03:51 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ] __________________ http://www.hughwilson.com

02-12-2004, 04:19 AM	#2
Davros Takhisis Follower Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Mandurah, West Australia Age: 61 Posts: 5,073	Cricket [img]smile.gif[/img] Hold on - the absence of cricket [img]smile.gif[/img] Yes - really __________________ Davros was right - just ask JD

02-12-2004, 05:33 AM	#4
Skippy1 Elminster Join Date: December 9, 2003 Location: England (Ex-pat Aussie) Age: 62 Posts: 447	Perhaps the introduction of a working form of government. You have to remember that when the Romans began expanding through Ancient Europe there were no countries, no laws and the only social interaction was raiding the mob down the road to steal their food and rape their women. With the advance of the Romans came Laws, Taxes and Governance. With the Laws came security. With the Taxes cmae road building and public amenities. (The Romans quite liked a bath, something unheard of before in Europe! ) With the governance came the opportunity to prosper without the fear of having your hard work destroyed. A bit simplistic perhaps, but you get the drift........ __________________ "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." -- William James

02-12-2004, 09:20 AM	#5
Stratos Vampire Join Date: January 29, 2003 Location: Sweden Age: 44 Posts: 3,888	What Skippy1 said, an organized goverment and army. __________________ Nothing is impossible, it's just a matter of probability.

02-12-2004, 09:27 AM	#6
Cloudbringer Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Upstate NY USA Posts: 19,737	they didn't have good tea __________________ "Don't take life for granted." Animal (may he rest in peace)

02-12-2004, 04:25 AM	#3
Djinn Raffo Ra Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Ant Hill Age: 50 Posts: 2,397	Superior military tactics.

02-12-2004, 10:56 AM	#7
pritchke Bastet - Egyptian Cat Goddess Join Date: September 5, 2001 Location: Calgary, AB Age: 50 Posts: 3,491	Funny how such a little town came to rule much of the world. Rome was/is believed to have been founded by survivors from Troy. [ 02-12-2004, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

02-12-2004, 11:22 AM	#8
Dreamer128 Dracolisk Join Date: March 21, 2001 Location: Europe Age: 40 Posts: 6,136	Really? I thought it was founded by farmers and merchants [img]smile.gif[/img]

02-12-2004, 12:50 PM	#9
Djinn Raffo Ra Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Ant Hill Age: 50 Posts: 2,397	Rome was founded by two twins raised by wolves.

02-12-2004, 12:51 PM	#10
Pikachu_PM The Magister Join Date: October 5, 2003 Location: OBX NC Age: 45 Posts: 122	A simple response to a very complex question: Remember...when Rome first started conqouring Europe there weren't 'countries' as we know them today, mostly just a collection of independent city states and tirbes with local warlords. Romes military training/organization were matched only by her revolutioanry logistic and buracratic systems. They were the first western power to REALLY create a central government that could organize all the local populations under 'one' rule' THis organization created a power so strong that no outside force could realsticlaly conqour it....and is why The Empire only collapsed when it fell in on itself. The 2 largest factors in maintaining control over conqoured territories....1. they were technologically superior to everybody else and could provide higher quality of lives. 2. after conqouring a city, they rebuilt it, modernized it, and let those people become Roman citizens. Its like this...lets say Russia conqoured America and made sure every American citizen had a flying car, lived with playboy playmates in a Mansion, and were each mult-millionaires (meanwhile, the rest the world stayed its good old self). Would you really be bothered buy the fact that we were conqoured? __________________ This is where my signature is

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