Technology in Ancient
Civilizations:
the Romans
Ancient Rome[1] spread
from 753 BC to 476 AD and is said to have begun when the twins Romulus and
Remus who were raised by wolves founded a city on 7 hills. It started in Italy,
but then spread through Southern and Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa
and parts of Northern and Eastern Europe. It took over the Greek Empire, both
societies and cultures together called the “Greco-Roman world”. Roman
civilization shifted from a monarchy to a classical republic and then to an
autocratic empire. At the heart of their democratic system was the Senate, a
body of legislators chosen from a group of elite families. The main job of the
Senate was to set policy for the Councils. Rome was divided into 2 classes: the
Patricians and the Plebeians.
The Romans have contributed
greatly to modern government, law, politics, engineering, art, literature,
architecture, technology, warfare, religion, language and society. They
achieved great accomplishments in technology and architecture, such as an
extensive system of aqueducts and roads, as well as large monuments, palaces
and public facilities. The native language of the empire was Latin, based on
Etruscan alphabet which in turn was based on Greek. Art and music were also based
on the Greek. They prayed to the Roman Gods, which were similar to the Greek
gods; Jupiter took the place of Zeus. Christianity was in the beginning
resisted, but became the official religion of the empire in 313 under the rule
of emperor Constantine I.
The Romans were experts in
citizen rights. The Citizen Law was the body of common laws that applied to
Roman citizens, while the “Law of Nations” applied to foreigners and their
dealings with roman citizens. The Roman was a multicultural empire. Some of the
people that were absorbed when conquering regions were enslaved, but others
were absorbed into the military. After many years in service, they were allowed
to retire and become free man, full right citizens. This allowed the Empire to
expand rapidly. This made then very different from the Greek, who did not offer
a way to escape slavery. The basis of Western Civilization’s Civil Rights was
created under Roman rule, and is still it’s major root and influence today.
They were also pioneers of the
Welfare System, which has existed since Roman times. These included measures
that subsidized food, education and other expenses for the needy. A program
called “alimenta” helped feed, clothe and educate orphans and poor children.
Other items such as corn, oil, wine, bread and pork could be collected by the
use of tokens.
The Colosseum[2] was
completed in 80 AD under the reign of Titus. It symbolized the power, the
engineering and the wealth of Ancient Rome. It was a round 360-degree theatre,
and set a new standard for Roman design. It had 110 drinking fountains and 2
restrooms. It even had a retractable roof for hot days, to shade the viewers
from the Sun. For 100 days Romans flocked to the Colosseum to see the
spectacle. 5000 animals were slaughtered in a single day, thousands of
gladiators and prisoners left as corpses; all for the sake of entertainment!!!
Not only gladiator events took place; they also reproduced large naval battles
in the middle of the arena with battleships on water! The Colosseum was full of
water channels for flooding the arena. Below the arena laid cages for the wild
animals, gladiators preparing for the show, condemned criminals in cages. When
the games began a trap door in the arena floor would open, and by a system of pulleys
and elevators would take the gladiators to the arena. The Gladiators would
fight against other gladiators, against convicted criminals, against animals,
etc. The Emperor would decide who got to live and who got to die, but be
careful with challenging the Emperor!!! Check out a typical battle in the
Colosseum, in the following movie scene from the movie Gladiator:
They Romans have left us
fantastic lessons in many fields:
- Architecture: they built
amphitheaters that were large and open stadiums used for events, like
chariot races, animal fights and gladiatorial combat. Their aqueducts were
used to carry water all over the Empire. Water was carried from natural
and artificial reservoirs to cities, where they were used for public
fountains, baths, and sewers. Public baths were present in every city
throughout the Empire. They were the first to notice the potential of
arches, and used them in the construction of bridges. Concrete paved the
empire, while the sewer system was ahead of it’s time.
- Medicine: Roman doctors used many
tools that modern surgeons use today, such as scalpels, bone drills,
forceps, and surgical laws. They disinfected the instruments in hot water
before used them, pioneering antiseptic surgery. They also had access to
many herbs and chemicals. They also used medical herbs like sage, garlic,
and willow. They established the military medical corps that was one of
the first dedicated field surgery units.
- Military Strength: 50% of the
taxes went to military, making this the strongest military civilization in
history. Their campaigns stretched over 1300 years reaching all the way to
Iran. Roman armies have acted as a source of revenue for the State, by
plundering conquered territories, some historians describing the Roman
Economy as a plundering economy. They incorporated the new regions into
the Empire, absorbing their culture and their technology as well.
- Technological advances: the Abacus
was the first pocket calculator, and was used mainly by merchants,
engineers and tax collectors. Writing in scrolls was replaced by the Roman
Codex, which is the basis for format for modern books. Lighthouses were a
navigational aid that warned sailors when they were approaching the
shoreline. Hero of Alexandria invented the first steam engine called
aeolipile; it did not have any practical application but would pave way to
what came later. They introduced the Solar calendar which is the now
familiar calendar with 365 days and 12 months.
The Western Roman Empire[3] fell in
476, as Germanic migrations and invasions overwhelmed the capacity of the
Empire to assimilate the migrants and fight off invaders. The Eastern Roman
Empire continued to exist though, also known as the Byzantine Empire. The Roman
empire left us with fantastic advances in manufacture, trade, and architecture,
literature, written law, and science. The Middle ages saw the loss of many of
these advancements, which would later be rediscovered. The Romans were surely the most advanced
civilization in history, their spread so vast that they left their mark in all
corners of the world. Mankind has nurtured from them, and studied them for
centuries. They will never be replaced, and will always be there to teach us valuable
lessons.
