Rome's Contributions

1. Efficient Highway System

According to the article about Roman roads, the engineers of
ancient Rome built an unparalleled network of roads in the ancient world.
Approximately 50,000 of roads spanned the Roman Empire which spread
its culture throughout the world, influencing different countries one by
one. Their roads were built by their own legions. Rome was the center of
commerce, trade, politics, culture and military in the Mediterranean. Just
like what the saying tells us: "all roads lead to Rome", their roads were
connected to different places which all led back to Rome and their roads
were designed for military exploitation. Their roads provided an
opportunity for trade, travel and communication to other places in the
world.

I consider this as one of Rome's greatest contribution in our modern

day society since we use roads as a way of travelling using different
modes of transportation. These roads helped us a lot because travelling
has become easier for us since we already have roads and highway
systems that can lead us to further places. Roads also serve as an ideal
way for transporting goods and for delivery. These roads will not only
benefit those who have their own cars, but it will also give other people
the opportunity to have jobs since we need people who monitor the
streets and the traffic. Also, these roads come with different signposts that
will help us tell directions, distances between two places and many more.

2. The Julian Calendar

According to Time and Date, the Julian Calendar was introduced
by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE and this replaced the Roman Calendar. This
calendar consists of 365 days in a regular year which are divided into 12
months with a leap day added to the month of February every 4 years.
The Julian Calendar has many errors and this caused several issues which
is why it was reformed in different ways. Despite the fact that the
Gregorian Calendar has become the international civil calendar, the
Julian Calendar was still used by other countries. The Gregorian Calendar
originated from the Julian Calendar and this is now the calendar that our
modern world uses because it gives us the accurate date of the day.

I also consider the Julian Calendar as one of Rome's greatest

contribution in our society. The Julian Calendar was used back then but
even though we use a different kind of calendar now, it is also important
in the modern world because it is where our current calendar came from.
Without the Julian Calendar, we wouldn't have an accurate calendar
and we wouldn't know anything about the current date. Also, calendars
 aren't just all about time, events and dates because they help us a lot,
they are like a gathering point for a community. They also help you
rememberthe activities that you are supposed to do on a certain day.

3. Government and Laws

Government and law were also contributions of Rome in our
modern day world. In some countries, their leaders got inspiration on how
to structure their government of their country from the Romans and
Greeks. The greatest impact of Rome in the government is the idea of
having a senate and the senate is a place for more mature attitudes to
prevail. Another important influence is the Roman law. The first law code
in Roman history was the Law of the Twelve Tables which is the precursor
to the development of Roman law. The Roman law also developed a
division between the public law, which directly involves the state, and the
private law, which concerns the disputes of people between each other.

In my opinion, I think that the government and the laws are part of
Rome's greatest contributions in our society. The senate was also part of
Rome's impact in our government. Since we are a Republic country, the
idea of having a senate is very significant to us because without them,
who would make our laws? This is also where we got the idea of 'veto'
which means 'I reject' and in the government, people were allowed to
disagree with each other's opinions. In addition to that, Rome was the one
who invented the idea of civil law and it has an important place in our
society because they deal with the rights of people and it helps resolve
issues whenever citizens have been wronged.

4. Festivals
Festivals were also a part of Rome's greatest contribution in our
society, according to the poll results of a forum about the greatest
contributions of Rome. During the ancient times, they perform different
kinds of festivals to please their gods. Most of Rome's festivals were related
to their religion and they tend to shut down the entire city when they
celebrate important religious holidays. Different districts of Rome hold
smaller celebrations of their own patron saints in their own way. Some of
our religious festivals originate from Rome and these festivals were an
important part of their Roman religion life. There was not a month in the
Roman calendar which did not has its religious festivals.

Some of our festivals had Roman origins and I think these festivals
are also a part of Rome's greatest contributions because it does not only
let people have fun with their families and friends, but these festivals also
have a significant meaning that is why we celebrate them. Some of our
festivals are related to our religion and this is also one of the factors why
 festivals are important because some of them celebrate the feast day of
saints and other religious events. Christmas started in Rome and this is very
important to us because it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. These
festivals have different kinds of purposes and we would not be
celebrating some of the most important festivals without Rome. Festivals
are a way for us to get together with everyone, make new memories,
have fun and also celebrate an event that mean so much to everyone.

5. Language and Alphabet

Based on the article about the influence of the Roman Empire,
Rome was responsible for the spread of the Latin language and this
became the basis of some languages including the English language.
Latin roots form the foundation of a good majority of common words. The
Latin language borrowed its alphabet from the Greeks and polished some
of the letters to form the alphabet that we know today. For other
languages, the impact of Rome to the language was even greater.
English has hundreds of words that originate in Latin, but the language of
the Romans had a greater impact on the French, Spanish, Italians,
Portuguese and Romanians.

Rome's influence on the English language had a great impact on us

and that is why I also consider language and alphabet as one of Rome's
greatest contributions in our society. They also refined some of the letters
which formed the alphabet that we know today. This is important to us
because language is a way for us to communicate with each other and
without it, how would we be able to communicate? The alphabet is also
important because we would not be able to form words without using the
letters from the alphabet. English is one of the most commonly used
language in the world and almost the whole world use it to communicate
so that we could understand each other even if we have different
nationalities and different languages.

Reference:
http://roman-contributions.weebly.com/blog/romes-contributions

What are the greatest contributions of Roman Civilization?

It would be a great oversight to assume that the Romans were nothing

more than a military power as their contribution to Western Civilization is
immense. In architecture they were known for their Domes, Frescoes and
Mosaics. They were accomplished road builders and graced their domains with
Aqueducts (to transport water) and viaduct bridges (that spanned valleys).
Roman stadiums and Amphitheatres were the ancestors of todays modern
entertainment venues.In addition the Romans distinguished themselves in wine
making, central heating, public baths and cement/mortar pioneering.

Their language (Latin), alphabet and legal system impacted all

civilizations that fell under their hegemony and they had a significant impact in
such differing areas as the idea of the three-course meal, the Julian Calendar
and several yearly festivals.

The following is a list of twelve Romans (other than the military figures described
earlier) who helped enrich this great culture:

1. Agrippa Marcus Vispania (64 BCE 12 BCE) - Architect. General.

Masterminded the Naval victory at Actium (31 BCE). Built many baths,
porticoes and gardens. Helped transform Rome into a Marble city.

2. Cicero (106-43 BCE) - Orator, Lawyer, Political theorist of great distinction.

Enemy of Mark Anthony. Famous for his Series of Speeches.

3. Horace (65-8 BCE) - Lyric poet. Lived at the time of Augustus. Known for
his hexameter verses and Lambic Poetry.

4. Juvenal (1st century CE) - Poet and writer. Also known for his satire
Satires of Juvenal (Five Books).

5. Livy (c.64 BCE-17CE) - Historian. Lived at the time of the Early Julio-
Claudian Emperors. Served as an advisor to Claudius. Most famous work is
the History of Rome.

6. Ovid (43 BCE 17/18 CE) - Great canonical poet. Wrote the classic
Metamorphoses. Clashed with the Emperor Augustus.

7. Pliny the Elder (23 CE-79CE) = Author, scientist and philosopher. Wrote an
encyclopaedic work (the forerunner of modern encyclopaedias) known
as Naturalis Historia. Influenced his nephew Pliny the Younger.

8. Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BCE to 65 CE) - Stoic Philosopher. Dramatist and
Statesman. Important Figure in the Silver Age of Latin Literature. Stoicism
argued for the importance of virtue in the face of natures trials and
tribulation.

9. Tacitus (c. 56 CE 117 CE) - Historian and Senator. Detailed events from 14
to 70 CE
10. Virgil (70 BCE- 19 BCE) - Poet of the Augustan Period. Most famous work is
the epic poem the Aenid that was modeled after Homers Iliad and
Odyssey.

11. Vitruvius (c. 80 BCE- c. 15 BCE) - Very influential architect. Wrote the multi-
volume work De architecture.

Reference:
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-greatest-contributions-of-Roman-
Civilization

1. Pont du Gard or the bridge of the Gard

(a literal translation) is one of the surviving aqueducts constructed by the

Roman Empire. Located in present day southern France, it was built
somewhere in the middle of first century AD. This aqueduct was constructed
without use of any mortar the Roman engineers built this three storey
masterpiece by fitting together massive blocks of precisely cut stones. These
huge blocks of stones weighed up to 6 ton, and the bridge itself measured up
to 360 meters at its highest point.

Pont du Gard was a pivotal structure in an aqueduct that stretched over 50

kilometers in length. The success of this engineering marvel was essential to
make the entire aqueduct functional which supplied water to the city of
Nimes. In the end, the Roman engineers pulled off an outstanding feat in
contemporary engineering and hydraulics. Pont du Gard was used as a
conventional bridge all along the middle ages right up to the 18th century.

2. Colosseum

When the famous amphitheater by the name of the Colosseum was built in
ancient Rome, it measured at 620 by 523 feet in area making it the largest
amphitheater of its time. The construction of the largest and most popular
ancient Roman monument was started during the reign of Emperor
Vespasian in 72 AD. By the time its construction was finished by his son Titus in
80 AD, a never before seem amphitheater with a seating capacity for more
than 50,000 spectators was ready for use.

It could host such a large number of audiences that as many 80 different

entrances were installed for ease of moving. It is said that on the opening
ceremony, the grandest of spectacles were held for about 100 days. In that
period of time, about 5,000 animals and 2,000 gladiators fought to their
deaths in an unprecedented extravaganza of gladiator and bestiarius
battles.

Reference:
https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/rome-history/top-10-magnificent-
ancient-roman-architectures/

3. Pantheon

inscription, MAGRIPPALFCOSTERTIUMFECIT, means: Marcus Agrippa, son

of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this.

The original Pantheon of Rome was built between 27 & 25 BCE, under the
consulship of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It was dedicated to 12 gods of
heaven and focused on Augustus' cult and Romans believed that Romulus
ascended to heaven from this spot. Agrippa's structure, which was
rectangular, was destroyed in 80 CE and what we see today is a
reconstruction done in 118 CE under the leadership of emperor Hadrian, who
even restored the original inscription on the facade. The identity of the
architect behind the Pantheon is unknown, but most scholars attribute it to
Apollodorus of Damascus. The parts of Hadrian's Pantheon are a columned
porch (8 massive granite Corinthian columns in front, two groups of four
behind), an intermediate area of brick, and finally the monumental
dome.Hadrian seems to have intended his rebuilt Pantheon to be a sort of
ecumenical temple where people could worship any and all gods they
wished, not just local Roman gods. This would have been keeping with
Hadrian's character a widely travelled emperor, Hadrain admired Greek
culture and respected other religions. During his reign an increasing number
of Roman subjects either didn't worship Roman gods or worshipped them
under other names, so this move made good political sense, too. The
Pantheon has been called a "perfect" space because the diameter of the
rotunda is equal to that of its height (43m, 142ft). The purpose of this space
was to suggest geometrical perfection and symmetry in the context of a
perfect universe. The interior space could fit perfectly either in a cube or in a
sphere. The massive interior room is designed to symbolize the heavens; the
oculus or Great Eye in the room is designed to symbolize the light- and life-
giving sun.The central point of the Pantheon is far above visitors' heads: the
great eye, or oculus, in the room. It looks small, but it's 27ft across and the
source of all light in the building symbolic of how the sun is the source of all
light on earth. Rain that comes through collects in a drain in the center of the
floor; the stone and moisture keep the interior cool through the summer.
Every year, on June 21st, the rays of the sun at the summer equinox shines
from the oculus through the front door.
References:
https://www.thoughtco.com/pantheon-in-rome-history-and-architecture-
249498

Roman architecture took off right where the esteemed builders from ancient
Greece left after the decline of Greek civilization. But unlike their
predecessors, the Roman architecture gave far more priority to the
practicality of their architectural designs. It was a major diversion from the
contemporary practice which gave primary focus to a structures exterior
design and aesthetic appeal. The Greeks, Persians and Egyptians before
them had a number of monumental architectures, but their magnificence
was limited to the exterior only. With the discovery of concrete, arches, and
other engineering marvels during the ancient Roman era, the Roman builders
could now build majestic architectures with internal structures that were
previously deemed impractical and impossible. Here is a list of top 10
magnificent ancient Roman architectures that reflects the engineering
ingenuity of the Romans.

Materials, Methods and Innovations

Long before concrete made its appearance on the building scene in Rome,
the Romans utilized a volcanic stone native to Italy called tufa to construct
their buildings. Although tufa never went out of use, travertine began to be
utilized in the late 2nd century B.C.E. because it was more durable. Also, its
off-white color made it an acceptable substitute for marble.

Marble was slow to catch on in Rome during the Republican period since it
was seen as an extravagance, but after the reign of Augustus (31 B.C.E. - 14
C.E.), marble became quite fashionable. Augustus had famously claimed in
his funerary inscription, known as the Res Gestae, that he found Rome a city
of brick and left it a city of marble referring to his ambitious building
campaigns.

Roman concrete (opus caementicium), was developed early in the 2nd c.

BCE. The use of mortar as a bonding agent in ashlar masonry wasnt new in
the ancient world; mortar was a combination of sand, lime and water in
proper proportions. The major contribution the Romans made to the mortar
recipe was the introduction of volcanic Italian sand (also known as
pozzolana). The Roman builders who used pozzolana rather than ordinary
sand noticed that their mortar was incredibly strong and durable. It also had
the ability to set underwater. Brick and tile were commonly plastered over
the concrete since it was not considered very pretty on its own, but
concretes structural possibilities were far more important. The invention of
opus caementicium initiated the Roman architectural revolution, allowing for
builders to be much more creative with their designs. Since concrete takes
the shape of the mold or frame it is poured into, buildings began to take on
ever more fluid and creative shapes.

Reference:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-
civilizations/roman/beginners-guide-rome/a/roman-architecture

Pompeii is one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization and, like an
open book, provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and
everyday life of the past.
The city has re-emerged from the darkness of centuries precisely as it would
have been when it was unexpectedly buried in the thick layer of ash and
lava which poured down from the devastating eruption of Vesuvius. It was
the year 79 A.D. The scale of the tragedy was appalling: in what had been
one of the most active and splendid Roman centres, life came to a
permanent standstill.

The thick layer of volcanic material which submerged it, made up to a large
extent of ash and lapilli - non-hard material, unlike that which covered
Herculaneum and which solidified into extremely hard stone -has meant that
the city has remained intact until the present day, not only as far as its
buildings are concerned, but also as regards the contents inside the houses
and shops, providing an absolutely fascinating picture of "daily" life.
The walls of the houses are covered with electoral propaganda messages or
risque jokes aimed at particular citizens. The signs on the shop doorways
indicate the activity carried out there or the name of the owner. Alongside
the elegant villas belonging to the nobility and the luxurious residences of the
middle class, stand modest houses where several families lived.
The peasant dwellings on the other hand are situated around vegetable
gardens or small plots of land. On the edge of the city stood the brothels,
squalid rooms intended as places of pleasure for sailors and travellers passing
through, in the narrow lanes, the workshops and utility rooms provide further
evidence of the daily routine performed by workmen and slaves as well as
the women of the house. The houses still contain furniture, ornaments, gold
and silverware, work tools, kitchenware, bronze and terracotta lamps,
foodstuffs of all kinds, counters for serving drinks, grain mills and grindstones,
workshops for manufacturing cloth, smithies and outlets selling groceries, fruit
and vegetables.
There is a remarkable record of Roman painting, of which, without the finds
made in Pompeii, virtually nothing would be known.
The architecture and development of the various types of houses is also
amply documented. Thus the excavated city provides outstanding historical
evidence of Roman civilization: these reminders of the past, which are so
vivid and tangible in the remains brought to light, contribute to the
fascination of the present.

Reference:
http://www.pompeionline.net/pompeii/

Definition:

Pompeii was a large Roman town in the Italian region of Campania which
was completely buried in volcanic ash following the eruption of nearby Mt.
Vesuvius in 79 CE. The town was excavated in the 19th and 20th century CE
and due to its excellent state of preservation it has given an invaluable
insight into the Roman world and may lay claim to being the richest
archaeological site in the world in terms of the sheer volume of data
available to scholars.

Reference:
http://www.ancient.eu/pompeii/