Roman Civilization and Contemporary America

Roman Civilization and Contemporary America

The civilization of the Roman Republic and the Empire that followed it was the first of its kind. Earlier civilizations had been based on a more abstract worldview that led humans to be creative for the will of the gods or to preserve the institutions that fostered rational thought. Rome started as a simple, self-reliant nation made up of farmers who lived the best they could to support their families and community. With an intense drive to succeed and its advanced military, Rome became the greatest civilization of its time. The civilization of 21st century America can follow its roots two thousand years back to Rome.

Rome could not have succeeded without the personal freedom and individuality granted to its citizens. This nurtured a creative and inventive mind, which would not be hindered by the limitations of oppressive monarchies. People lived for their own greater good more than the government, as in America. America and Rome both produced technologies that made their economies dominate over their neighbors, appreciating the value of their currencies. A strong sense of peace and order helped each country thrive, as the fear of trading and making money dissipated. The Roman military was the most advanced of its day. Soldiers were more equipped and armed than any other army, and the best methods of siege craft were employed in battle. The American military shares the same type of advantage over other nations, as soldiers are dressed in body armor with the best machine guns, and cruise missiles can be guided by satellites and lasers to destroy almost any enemy fortification. Both Romans and Americans are known for allowing their conquered to enjoy a certain amount of liberty. A less glorious similarity is the Roman and American social welfare systems. Straying from using the imagination and classical problem solving, both civilizations have expended their resources to quiet the cries of the hopeless, without building any hope for their unfortunate citizens. Roman law influenced much of the American legal system, especially in the area of criminal justice. America has followed in the footsteps of the Romans in many ways, for better or for worse.

Although the Romans and Americans have many similarities, there exist equally prominent differences. One main difference between Roman and modern American civilization is the technology available