A Step Back in Time: Facts About the Roman Empire

Whether you’re a history buff or not, you’re sure to know at least a little something about the Roman Empire and its dominance in the ancient world. The Roman Empire was one of, if not the, longest lasting empires in the history of civilisation. It lasted from 27 BC until 476 AD and spanned continents and centuries.

Incredibly, we’re still able to see remnants of the empire in the modern world, by means of architecture and just general ways of life. But even if you are super into your history, there are sure to be a lot of things you actually don’t know about the empire.

Here are some of the most interesting facts about the Roman Empire.

• 1. Unlike most other civilisations of its time, and even unlike most civilisations for many years afterwards, the Romans were a polytheistic society. That means that the people worshipped a plethora of gods and goddesses. For instance, there were gods and goddesses of Mars, Jupiter and Venus just to name a few!
  2. The predominant language of the Roman Empire was Latin. Today, Latin isn’t really spoken at all, however, it’s importance and prominence is certainly not lost on us. Latin has had a massive influence on modern European languages, and its impact is still felt to this day. Indeed, that’s the reason that Latin is still studied and taught in many universities around the world. It helps us understand a lot of important things in modern society. This includes our day-to-day language and etymology, as well as the meaning behind technical language such as in the medical and legal fraternities.
  3. It’s no secret that the Romans were incredibly skilled engineers, architects and builders. The Romans’ technology was incredibly advanced. Not to say they had things like mobile phones, the internet and mobile betting. However, a lot of ordinary Roman-built structures also still stand to this day. This just proves how incredible they were at designing and building long-lasting structures.
  4. In fact, the Romans’ engineering abilities allowed them to dominate other parts of life too. That is, it helped them to build an extensive network of roads that allowed them to trade goods and information quickly and efficiently.
  5. The Roman Empire didn’t simply dominate throughout its existence. Rather, it experienced many periods of expansion and contraction. Its most significant period of dominance and power came during the reign of Emperor Trajan in the second century AD.
  6. Although they weren’t always dominant, the Romans certainly were renowned for their incredible military strength. Their soldiers were and still are legendary, and they are well known for their incredibly strict discipline and training.
  7. Not only were they advanced in their engineering and linguistic ability, but the Romans also created a complex system of government and politics. Their emperor was at the top and below the emperor they had a senate, similar to modern systems. However, the Senate was made up of wealthy and powerful people. This is how they ran their society and made important decisions.