Roman Empire
It is difficult to imagine a world in which the Roman Empire would not have existed. The legacy of the empire has had a long-lasting influence on the current society’s geographical, cultural, and economic aspects. It played a great role in building institutions, laws, religious beliefs, languages, technological advancements, and cultural values. Despite the fall of the empire in the 15th century, its legacy went ahead to forge world civilization, which continues to date. The Roman Empire was a huge political and social entity that covered a large part of Europe, parts of the Middle East, and North Africa. The barbarian invasion in 476 A.D resulted in the collapse of half of the Roman Empire. The rest of the empire was faced by the onslaught of religion and was seized in 1453 A.D. With the fall of the city of Constantinople, the empire’s robust political structure came to an end. The empire’s contributions were inherited by the barbarians who used it to develop infrastructure and robust laws. The majority of modern civilization dates back to the inventions of the Roman Empire. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the fate of world civilization without the contributions of the Roman Empire.
Impact of Latin
One main contribution of the empire is the Latin language used in ancient Rome. Latin was the main language of the early Roman Empire. Despite the existence of indigenous languages such as Greek and Aramaic, Latin was the dominant language used during trade and other social activities. It flourished more in the middle ages as it was incorporated into the social and economic environment. It was later declared the official language of the Roman Catholic Church. As many regions began adopting their languages, Latin was translated to local dialects. The language was translated from Latin to Spanish, Italian and French. As of the 21st century, up to 920 million people speak Romance languages that originated from Latin as their mother tongue. 300 million people, especially in parts of America, Europe, and Africa, speak it as a second language. Romance languages are used in 72 countries worldwide. Words translated from Latin make 59% of English, 20% of German, and 14% of Dutch, thus demonstrating its lasting impact on modern languages’ grammar and lexicon. The Roman Empire, therefore, had a significant impact on the development of language through various descendants. Furthermore, Latin had a revolutionary impact on global science. To date, Latin is used to name species in the binomial nomenclature. Latin names are considered globally accepted scientific names for species. Therefore, this language conceived by the Roman Empire has contributed immensely in developing a consensus amongst scientists and taxonomists globally.
Origin of education
The Roman Empire is solely responsible for the development of the education system. Education began as an informal system offered within familial ranks. Although it was based on the Greek system, Romans took it to a higher notch placing children on a tuition-based system. Greek slaves were used as tutors as children of the rich were placed in an educational methodology that later came to be adopted in western civilization as schools. The development of the seven liberal arts by Martianus Capella was the major source of structured medieval education. The Roman Empire was, therefore, significant in the development of the education system that has been widely adopted all over the world. Today, education is crucial for the success and eradication of poverty. Employers are recruiting competent and diversely, knowledgeable employees. Job employment essentially depends on educational merits in every society.
Impact of Rome’s innovations
After the fall of the Roman Empire, it is reported that the barbarians restructured and failed to advance some developments of Romans. This period was termed the Dark Age. Technologies that had been developed by the Romans were ruined and became unpopular. Some scholars argue that if Rome had not fallen, the world would be more technologically advanced. The Romans improved on inventions made by other researchers. They improved weapons and developed a technology to hold cities under siege. Architectural advancements, military, and engineering developments by the Romans remain visible today. The Romans developed a wide array of technology from local themes. The Romans first invented traditional thermal heating systems and milling machines. Today, the world is dependent on thermal energy and hydropower for industrial advancements. The Romans’ sewage and pipe systems in floor construction are currently being utilized in global construction and planning of cities and residential buildings. These genius innovations have, therefore, been critical in enhancing modern construction and economic development.
Architecture
Roman architecture significantly inspired the development of neoclassical structures during the 18th century. The majority of the castles and ancient structures preserved today in Europe and the western world date back to the Roman Empire. Modern architectural buildings, such as the U.S white house, government buildings, and other institutions worldwide, have a unique architectural design. The image below is a drawing of the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus in Lithuania constructed by the Romans in 1783.
Roman Catholic churches across the world have adopted these architectural designs in the construction of worship places. These architectures have been exemplified in buildings such as the Old Museum in Berlin and the U.S white house.
These architectural designs have been associated with power, and today, palatial homes have similar designs. Furthermore, Across Europe and America, ancient Rome buildings are tourist destinations. Some ruins and remains of the Roman Empire’s ancient buildings serve as fascinating sites used by archeologists to study human origin. An example of Roman architecture that remains as a tourist attraction site is the colosseum in Italy.
Without the existence of the Roman Empire, such architectural designs would not be possible today. Furthermore, the various ruins and remnants of ancient buildings built by Romans would not be existent to serve as tourist attraction sites and places for archaeologists to gain a deeper understanding of the ways of life of ancient human beings.
Roman laws
The Roman Empire is highly credited for the formulation of laws. Although roman laws are not used today, many laws used by different countries were developed during the Roman Empire. The Romans formulated the general structure used in dispensing justice. For instance, a trial that constituted a judge, plaintiff, and the defendant was established by Romans. It has since been adopted in democratic countries worldwide. The current republican government dates back to the roman republic, where a state was considered a public property. Today, the U.S Congress is inspired by the Roman senate. Romans were, therefore, essential in the development of institutions of governance and laws effective today.
In conclusion, the Roman Empire has had a significant contribution to the development and advancement of the current society. With inventions of thermal power and economic boosters, they have contributed significantly to modern discoveries that have resulted in global industrialization. The school system established has resulted in a societal norm for all children to be taken to school. Education has been used as a tool for eradicating poverty and realizing economic prosperity. If the roman empire never existed, society would be entirely different. These benefits of law and order, the school system, and advanced industrialization would be nonexistent. Romans were, therefore, critical for global prosperity.