The material cause of the Roman empire was a mixture of patricians and plebs. "By the close of the fourth century B.C. the patrician-pleb state had been established." According to Webster's Dictionary (1966: 1656), a "patrician" is "a member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome to whom until 350 B.C. such offices as those of senator, consul, and pontifex were restricted." Similarly, a "plebeian" is defined as "relating to the common people" (50, 1966: 1738).
There are three formal causes of the Roman Empire. First, the Empire contained a harmony between the patricians and plebeians. "This settlement in Roman society succeeded in giving the Republic the equilibrium, so admired by Polybius (200-118 B.C.) which allowed it to embark on its conquest of the world." Second, the Roman Empire possessed an "imperium" and the power to command troops. "From its beginning Rome was a warrior state, with armies of soldier citizens led by consular generals." As a result of its warrior attribute, "the Republic was almost continuously at war." Next, the city of Rome has been called "the most beautiful city in the world" since 75 B.C. Lastly, the average age of Roman plebeians was "25 to 30" and "35 to 40" for patricians. (50, 103, 106, 209, 157)
The principal agent primarily in charge of the Roman Empire was the gods. "The Romans felt that they were dependent on the good will of the gods." Rome built "a series of temples" to Saturn in 496 B.C., Ceres in 463 B.C., Mercury in 495 B.C., and the Dioscuri [twin sons of Zeus and Leda] in 484 B.C. "In this way a 'national religion' was born, turning Rome into a sacred city." Caesar Augustus built the Circus Maximus in 2 A.D. and "added a platform in the stands with a shrine so that the gods might view the races." (140, 26, 351)
The peace and harmony in the Roman Empire was prepared in the year 450 B.C. when "ten extraordinary magistrates" were elected to make "laws so that liberty shall be equal for all, from the highest to the lowest." The authors of A History of Rome state that "the work of the Decemvirs [magistrates] was of exceptional importance," since their laws "contained the source of all private and public law." They prepared "a legal code and the ground for enduring political institutions." (41, 42)
There are three assisting agents that helped the Roman Empire maintain peace for one thousand years: from the Battle of Aleria in 540 B.C. to the Code of Justinian in 534 A.D. According to the Greek historian Polybius, "Rome's domination was justified by the excellence of its institutions and by the superiority of its army" and by its "religious concepts." (513, 86)
The instrumental agents in the Roman Empire were religion, military and business. Since 754 B.C. Romans used "religious sovereignty, military power and productive [and economic] force." The birth of Rome is "linked with profound spiritual, political, and social changes." The economics and social tools were mainly farming. "The rural economy was the Empire's life blood." And since 150 B.C., the Romans enjoyed "hot baths, central heating, soft beds and the pleasures of wine." (21, 25, 160, 57, 328)
Philosophers regularly served as counseling agents to the Roman Empire. Panaetius of Rhodes (185-110 B.C.) "recommended the four cardinal virtues: knowledge, justice, self-control and courage." And Seneca (4 B.C. - 65 A.D) blamed "the ever-increasing taste for pleasure as one of the major causes of the republican Rome's decline." (121, 122)
The history of the Empire starts with Rome's existence as a small town in the Etruscan kingdom in 754 B.C. "Rome's coming to be was a long and complex process of inhabitation: the building of huts, clustering in groups of villages around the Palatine hill, the building of a wall protecting the villages… Remains of the walls discovered at the foot of the Palatine could date back to this era." (22) The Romans was always influenced "by the Hellenistic civilization" and then "developed its own Graeco-Latin personality" in 31 B.C. when "Rome became itself." Sadly, Rome started its slow decline in 180 A.D. when "barbarian invasions, terrible plagues and the endless wars" caused "breaks in the Empire's defenses." (22, 149, 307)
The Roman conquest was magnificent and the Mediterranean Sea "was virtually a Roman lake." And even though Rome was a harmonious mixture of patricians and plebeians, "the Empire was still managed like a private business." (88, 205, 210)
There are signs showing the the Roman Empire was magnificent. Roman dinnerware can be found "beyond the Rhine" and written "Latin inscriptions are found at the edges of the empire." Plus, Julius Caesar "renamed the month of Quinctilis as Julius (July) in 44 B.C." and Augustus renamed the month of Sextilis as August in 8 B.C. (327, 139)
The motive of the Roman Empire was to improve the civilizations of the Etruscans and Greeks. "Rome was born in Italy but dominated by two advanced civilizations, Etruscan and Greek." In the year 348 B.C. Rome began to "march toward mastery of the Italian peninsula" and expand its power." (16, 61).
The Roman Empire triggered numerous passions and feelings. Polybius became sad when he saw the Roman military defeat the Greeks at Corinth in 146 B.C. "I saw paintings trampled underfoot; Roman soldiers sat down on them to play dice!" Cicero became hopeful when he observed the Roman politicians in 54 B.C. "There was a budding hope of new order that would ensure peace and break the cycle of violence – a hope shared by all." A student of history can become disgusted when he learns that in 2 B.C. "Augustus presented twenty-six beast shows in the circus where 3,500 animals were killed." And a student may feel hate when he learns about Caligula. "No one grieved for him" when he died in 41 A.D. (92, 184, 215, 232)
After reviewing the investigation above I wish to choose both the final cause and instrument cause as my favorite reasons. Thus, I shall make the following common. The Roman Empire was magnificent, because the Roman Empire saw itself as the protector of world peace and used religion, military and business as tools.
Here is a scientific demonstration based on history. Everything that uses religion, military and business to work for peace and order in the world is magnificent. But the Roman Empire used religion, military and business to work for peace and order in the world. Therefore, the Roman Empire was magnificent.Two things can be learned from the present investigation. First, a country that wishes to last a long time needs have citizens who understand religion, military and business. High schools students should take courses on the three topics. Second, just as the Romans wished to make a better empire than the Etruscans and the Greeks, so to Charlemagne (742-814) wishes to make the Catholic church a better empire than the Romans. That is why I enjoy having coffee in downtown Rome and then visiting Michelangelo's Pieta at in St. Peter's basilica at the Vatican.
© By Theodore Faulders, October 5, 2021.