What Made Rome A Good Society?

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What is a good society is a question that each person answers in line with the cultural upbringing that they have and that they reconcile within their own ideas. The ancient empire of Rome was no different. Different people in the society had an answer: the favor of the gods, specific qualities of the people in the society, political understanding. All of these ideas are fine to have, but focusing on one of their strengths, the power of their good society, is a way to understand what made Rome work. The favor of God may be an answer given by some folks as to why some nations favor and have more power than others, but the strength that made Rome such a good society was that it expanded in a way that it was capable of withstanding and offered …show more content…

A good society is one that is able to facilitate ways for people to work together, find meaning, and be safe. After Hadrian took control of the nation, there was no further need to expand. From this time of Hadrian and until the 300s (117–300), there were few revolts against the leaders (Hist 101, Western Civilization I). Rome organized itself in terms of cities, and those cities were governed by officials that were sent out by the central government. The town elite collected taxes that went back to the emperors, as well as policed the cities, maintained the roads and building projects, and provided food and water infrastructure (Hist 101: Western Civilization I). By organizing into cities that had their own elite structure and government officials coming from beyond their city limits, Rome made it so that the …show more content…

The lack of killing as they were conquered was not always what was followed in society. They asked for money and drafted people from cities into armies. The countries Rome conquered brought it much wealth, whether already amassed by the country they conquered or through taxation and trade. The money was more important than the absolute breaking down of Roman culture, especially when it was already desirable to be a Roman citizen. A society is good when it has things that people want in it. This can be a cultural, monetary, or resource-driven desire. But if it is good, it will be desirable. Another desirable trait was being allowed to keep much of their old ideas and religions and just incorporate Roman deities and thoughts into them. This only worked when a culture was monotheistic. Much of the service paid was mere lip service, and the people in cities would remain steadfast in their hearts with what they wanted to believe in. By allowing them to keep their culture, people were happier overall. For the majority, the leader of the city came and went. They were focused on their own lives and