Ancient Rome - Uncovering The Mysteries of The Roman Empire: Forgotten Empires Series, #4

By Peter Delagio

Ancient Rome
Uncovering The Mysteries of the Roman Empire (Forgotten Empires Series)

Much of what we know about the Roman Empire is mixed up with movie and TV portrayals, which couldn’t be further from the truth! If you want to know the real facts about the Roman Empire and the incredible society it became then this book is for you.

Inside you will discover all about the birth of Rome, the famed ‘Republic’, the class divisions, home and family life, Roman art, literature, culture, the military and most of all the amazing Roman legacy. All this and much more is presented in an easy to read style.

Discover how the Roman Empire influenced our lives today, in more ways than you may realize!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shaharm Publications
• Release date: Nov 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519927699

Peter Delagio

Peter Delagio is a true modern day Indiana Jones. Born and raised on the west coast of the USA, he developed an early fascination with the Native people and culture, which spread to a love of studying the world’s early civilisations and forgotten empires. He has made many extensive trips all over the planet, from Europe to the deepest jungles of the Amazon (and everywhere in-between!) to further his knowledge and uncover some of the world’s most ancient of mysteries. Fuelled by his passion for researching and learning about the secrets of these ancient civilizations, Peter’s books contain all you could need to know about the people of these forgotten empires.

Book preview

Introduction

For over 1000 years the Roman Empire ruled the world with an iron fist, spanning the entirety of the known world at the time. The notion that they would ever fall or cease to be was laughable. By 44 BC the Roman Empire, through both military force and political alliances, included what is now Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Northern coast of Africa, claiming Egypt and the fertile Nile as part of their vast expanse of wealth.  As an Empire, none before or since has been able to match its thousand-year rule, or the consistent strength with which it governed the known world.

The story of the Roman Empire is a tale marked by blood, betrayal, decadence, prosperity and slavery. It is one that spans a time in history when the world experienced greater political stability, prosperity and intellectual growth than ever before. In a world ruled by Kings and supreme rulers, the Roman Empire brought with it a new type of government, with Emperors, Consuls and a Senate and a society ruled by the wealthy and privileged.  Many of Rome’s legal and legislative structures can still be seen reflected in much of Europe, modern nations and organizations.

The early years of Rome are wrought with mystery and are embroiled in myth and fantastic legends. But amazingly, archaeologists and legend do agree that the city was first established somewhere around 750 B.C.  Legend has the date more exactly as the 21st of April of 753 BC, a date commemorated by the festival of Parilia. This was according to legend, the date on which Romulus, upon reaching Rome, took a stick and drew a line in the sand marking the borders of the new city, after which he prayed to the Gods to protect the area. Over the centuries the date was marked by religious ceremony, games, singing and processions, in celebration of the birth date of Rome.

Over the centuries Rome’s reach grew exponentially, and by 117 BC spanned over 2,500,000 miles. The reason for Rome’s constant expansion is a question of debate among historians. While many attribute it simply to the aggressive nature of Rome and a desire to rule, many think that it was in the interest of maintaining peace at home and protecting itself from disorganized and unruly neighboring nations.  Despite the reasoning behind conquering the known world, the Roman Army is still a thing of legend, due to their skill, training, fearlessness and brute force.

The Roman Empire wasn't only concerned with war, and conquest. The Empire also brought with it major advancements in architecture, technology, engineering and political structure, many of which are reflected in Western Culture. Although Roman law isn't used today, modern law in many places is based on principles developed by the Roman Empire.  Much of the Latin terminology is still in use today, and the general structure of court proceedings (judge, plaintiff, and defendant) is the same that was developed and established by Rome.

The widespread use of glass for windows was also first seen in Rome, as was the construction of high-rise buildings, dome construction, floor construction and bridge works. Many