~Roman
Empire ~
Introduction
Historians
remember the Roman Empire today because it was one of the most
comprehensive social and political structures that existed in western
civilization in its time. This empire was established by Augustus Caesar when
he announced himself the first Roman emperor in 31BC and declined in 1453CE due
to the fall of Constantinople. The heirs of Augustus, that is, Tiberius,
Caligula Claudius as well as Nero succeeded him between the 14th and
68th year Holland, (2017). After the death of Emperor
Nero in the 6th year, a war broke, where three emperors fought
for the position of emperor. Vespasian won the war, breaking the dynastic
succession of this empire. Over the years, the Roman Empire became weak due to
constant attacks and eventually declined. This paper focuses on the factors
that led to the rise as well as the collapsing of this great empire.
Factors
that Contributed to the Growth of the Roman Empire
This
empire advanced its capacity at the initial stages by seeking to control the
Mediterranean Sea. Having control of the sea earned this empire both economic
and military advantages. The naval power played a great role in fighting the
empire enemies and ensuring that the empire was well secured. The Roman army
was the first profession in the world paid on a full-time basis. This military
force was key to the success of this empire because it conquered many countries
expanding the empire. The countries conquered include France, Spain, Wales,
Germany, some parts of Greece and the Middle East as well as some parts of
northern Africa. The three factors that led to a successful army include
the invention of new army tactics, comprehensive training, and rapid learning
ways.
Another
key reason why this empire was a successful entity was the Romans’ ability to
organize the empire. It was only through a good order and organization that the
Romans could rule over the vast territories. The communication during this
period was passed through messages that either ran on foot or on horses. The
Romans benefited from this organization, which enabled them to expand as far as
they expanded in terms of territories. The rulers were also able to ensure a
smooth movement of resources around the territories.
The
Romans were also able to assimilate or Romanize the native people. Once the
Romans attacked a city and defeated it, the citizens of that city were forced
to be slaves and moved out of their land. These people were however made
citizens of the empire. The conquered people could, therefore, enjoy such
things as buildings, public toilets, bathhouses among other things. The Romans
also used technology to make their people happy and want to be associated with
the empire. The people were also given great trading opportunities which made
them even happier.
Furthermore,
the Roman Empire took advantage of technological advancement. Rome was very
good at making iron weapons while the other states such as Greek were using
bronze to make weapons. The Romans made these iron weapons in a design that was
unheard of by the other states. This gave the Romans an advantage over the
others during attacks. Instead of the Hellenic phalanx, the Romans had been
organized in triangles and squares containing columns and rows which made them
more flexible. The Romans used this tactic, for instance, to defeat Hannibal.
These reasons among others all contributed to the growth of this empire.
Factors
for the Collapsing of the Roman Empire
According
to Andrews (2014), among the factors that contributed to the decline of this
empire is the constant invasions by the Barbarian tribes. Though the Romans had
been constantly fighting Germanic tribes, the barbarian tribes such as Goths
had started to encroach beyond the boundaries by the 300s. The Romans
withstood the Germanic revolution towards the end of the fourth century.
However, in the 410, the Rome city was sacked by Visigoth king Alaric. The
Vandals later attacked and raided the eternal city in 455. Finally, Emperor
Romulus Augustulus was overthrown from power by a Germanic leader in 476, which
made the empire weak and eventually collapsed.
Nonetheless,
despite the constant attacks by the enemies and rivals, the empire was also
disintegrating from within due to economic hardships and overdependence on
slave labor. There were severe wars and an economy characterized by inflation,
oppressive taxation, which heightened the gap between the haves and have nots
according to Marsh (2016). Another
thing that affected the economy is the decline in the supply of labor. By the 2nd century,
the supply of slaves, as well as other resources, had started to decline. The
attacks also disrupted the trading activities making the empire lose its
influence in Europe.
The
Roman Empire was so successful in expanding its territories. They had a vast
territory running from as far as the Atlantic Ocean, spreading to Middle East’s
rive Euphrates. This expansion in some ways furthered the collapsing of the
empire Andrews, (2014). It was hard for this empire to effectively
govern the large area due to communication barriers, which translated to poor
management. This also required a lot of funds which the empire was unable to
keep up with. Other factors included political instability caused by government
corruption, loss of cultural value and traditions to Christianity and weakening
legions among others.
In
conclusion, the Roman Empire grew and expanded as a result of factors such as
good military organization, the technology and the cart of iron weapons, the
ability to Romanize and assimilates their captives as well as the economic
power among others. On the other hand, constant attacks, inability to manage
the vast territories, economic hardships and corrupt government corruption are
some of the reasons why the Roman empire did not last.
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