Rome: The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was founded in 27 BCE, following the existence of the Roman Republic. At the empire’s height, it spanned from present-day Spain to Asia Minor, from Britain to North Africa. At its peak, this nation was widely considered to be one of the most physically dominant in the world. Why did this happen? How did Rome become arguably the world’s most powerful empire? Some say it was mainly due to factors such as the efficiency and discipline of the Roman legions, while others maintain that the Romans’ continuous technological advances harbored greater responsibility for their success. “Technology” in this sense means developments in artwork, entertainment, infrastructure, etc. Although the legions’ outstanding military capabilities played
Pottery became a large-scale industry in Rome, as did the use of colored glass and recycling of old glass. New molding and blowing techniques were developed, allowing for more intricate and elaborate designs to be created. Sculptures were used throughout Rome, whether they were depicting powerful gods and goddesses in religious temples, bringing to life legends and heroes, or even just a reminding the sculptor of their individual family. Busts of the emperor were also widespread across the empire, to allow the populace to recognize them since television/newspapers/etc. hadn’t been created yet. The Romans focused on constructing realistic statues, not attempting to correct the faults or imperfections of the models of their sculptures. They also created ornate, hand-made jewelry, colorful mosaics made of small tiles, and decorated masks sometimes used in theatre and plays. These masks were displayed in the Amphitheatre, as structure where ordinary people could enjoy spectacles; i.e. theatre, drama, gladiator battles, etc. Bloody spectacles were provided within arenas to entertain the populace and prevent the poor from rioting. The most famous of these arenas was the Colosseum. This enormous stadium, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater could hold greater than 50000 people at once. Beneath the giant arena was a large network of underground passages,
The first road was created in 312 BCE, the beginning of what would eventually be a vast network of roads and bridges created by engineers that played a huge part in the success of Rome. The roads were made of four main layers, beginning with a layer of large stones on the bottom. The next layer consisted of broken stones, pebbles, sand, etc. to create a firm base. Next was cement (another useful technological piece) mixed with broken tiles, and finally a layer of paving stones cut to fit nicely together with slight gaps between them to aid in water distribution. On the sides of the road were “kerb stones” which were diagonally wedged in place to create a channel to further help water flow off the road. These roads would eventually cover approximately 55000 miles, and some continued to be used until the invention of the automobile. This network of roads allowed for the quick movement of troops and/or goods from one place to another. Without them, Rome’s legions would have moved at a much slower rate, giving enemies longer to prepare and defend/counterattack. The roads also gave Romans a clear path to where they were going, destroying any chance of getting lost. Another extremely influential invention was concrete; it was an ingredient in the life-changing road, as well as a revolutionary building material. Numerous buildings of great importance were