What trait enabled the Romans to become one of the most powerful peoples in history?
Another reason is that the Romans were very stubborn; they refused to accept defeat. For instance, when the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy, the Romans first sent an army of 20,000 men to stop him. That Roman army was destroyed. Then the Romans sent 40,000 men. They too were annihilted by Hannibal. Finally the Romans sent 80,000 men. Hannibal defeated them as well: only 10,000 survived. That was the Battle of Cannae, the greatest defeat in Roman history. Hannibal spent 13 years in Italy, destroying farmland and defeating every Roman army that was sent against him. But the Romans refused to surrender, and even Rome’s Italian allies remained loyal. Finally the great general Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama, and Rome was saved. Rome suffered many military defeats in her history: the Caudine Forks, Cannae, Carrhae (50,000 men died), and many others. But they just kept coming back until they won. And they were always willing to change their weapons and ta
The Roman Empire became so successful because of a phenomenon known as ‘acculturation’. Far from destroying the societies they invaded the Romans incorporated them, sometimes in complex ways, into the Roman way of life. For example, the architecture of Roman North Africa may include forums, arenas and temples to Rome, but they were built in an essentially African style. Rome might have become the new administrative leaders in invaded provinces, but they rarely tried to culturally annhilate the vanquished. The result was a remarkably diverse and tolerant empire, pretty much devoid of racism. The Christians were persecuted because their religion implicitly challenged administrative authority. This diversity and tolerance did not suit everyone, and the Roman elite (senators, etc) complained bitterly that Rome was becoming culturally diluted… or more to the point, they were rapidly becoming an outdated caste in a rapidly changing world, no longer respected or needed. Perhaps the English
In order: 1) Supremacy of the State. You may not like or agree with this fascist notion, but it does result in a powerful combination of wealth and power concentrated in the State (at the expense of liberty). It was the Roman notion of “Rome first” that led to such power. This premise allowed for a strong military. 2) Infrastructure. Roads, aquaducts, sewage, markets, and city plans (for everyplace except Rome proper) allowed for the huge societal benefits of urbanization. 3) Assimilation. Even with the Jews, Rome never tried to impose its own religion or societal norms upon conquered peoples. Once conquered, people were allowed to romanize themselves, by choice. Serve in the military, and earn coveted Citizenship for yourself and your family. When Rome deviated from this premise (with its adoption of Christianity), it secured its eventual demise.
