The Problem: The Romans (as Tacitus indicates here) had a strong sense of why their empire succeeded. In a speech attributed to a Roman general, Cerialis argues that Trier (on the Mosel River and on the present German / Belgian border) would be making a mistake to revolt from Rome...

Gaul always had its petty kingdoms and intestine wars, till you submitted to Rome's authority. We, though so often provoked, have used the right of conquest to burden you only with the cost of maintaining peace. For the tranquility of nations cannot be preserved without armies; armies cannot exist without pay; pay cannot be furnished without taxes; all else is common between us. You often command our legions. You govern these and other provinces. There is no privilege, no exclusion…Should the Romans be driven out (may the gods forbid!) what can result but wars between yourselves and other nations?

and

Agricola gave private encouragement and public aid to the building of temples, courts of justice and dwelling-houses, praising the energetic, and reproving the indolent. Thus an honorable rivalry took the place of compulsion. He likewise provided a liberal education for the sons of the chiefs, and showed such a preference for the natural powers of the Britons over the industry of the Gauls that they who lately disdained the tongue of Rome now coveted its eloquence. Hence, too, a liking sprang up for our style of dress, and the “toga” became fashionable.

Recall the other passages given in the last lecture on the role of the governor in Spain. Was Tacitus right?


  1. ROMANIZATION Of interest may be the excavations at Conimbriga, Portugal, or of the Roman town of Split in Croatia), and underwater archaeology. [L'epave]
  2. Introduction/Problem: How to account for the change in the popularity and image of Rome as an empire in the period 100 B.C. -- A.D. 150? Recall that the actions of Roman magistrates had often been extortionate in the Late Republic.
    1. How to account for the willingness of subjects to be absorbed into the Roman state and, from the Roman perspective, to absorb without losing identity and uniquely Roman characteristics. Bear in mind that this would happen was by no means self evident in AD100. Note RC II §30 (pp. 23-6): §90; also RC I §147.
    2. City-state, world-state (urbs et orbis) and the creation of a supra-national loyalty.  Such a system had no parallel in the western Mediterranean, and was viewed with skepticism in the east.
  3. General Considerations.... how to explain the dramatic increase in citizen numbers.
    1. Was there emigration of Italians from Italy: Yes, but the overall numbers were not large. "trade FOLLOWS the flag".
      1. role of army. Roman army on the frontier; the impact on Romanization was profound in the border areas, and the numbers were in any case not high for soldiers appear to have retired to communities that were already thoroughly Romanized.
      2. Roman/Italian investment in trade, mines, land, flocks, etc. Had to estimate the numbers here.
      3. In general, there is no reason to believe that Romans replaced an indigenous population.
    2. Romans had little sense of cultural superiority and had a long history of extending citizenship; admittedly part of a self-reinforcing national myth. RC II §§ 15-16. Very hard to follow the process in detail. But note the changes in a family cult and burial center where we can trace dedications first to Capriociegus, then to Mars-Capriociegus and then to Mars alone; or family burials in which the first generation has a Keltic name, the son begins to Romanize but also mentions that he is the son of a Kelt (we can see this in the name), and the third generation the name is thoroughly Roman. It is undeniable then that we are dealing with a cultural transformation of indigenous people
    3. The general effects of peace and stability?
    4. The evident reality is that subjects become citizens. The prestige of power; the power of prestige. In what follows, we need to explore this problem in more detail.
      1. urbanization = civilization = Romanization. The transformation of Europe from a village to an urban structure.
      2. the Romans actively encouraged and rewarded imitation; and did so for very pragmatic reasons, namely it was easier to govern..Also, RC II pp278-80.
      3. The benefits of Roman rule, see below.
  4. To understand what follows, and §V is critical for the argument, let us consider two case studies: Spain (more properly Iberian peninsula) and Judaea
      1. Spain and the amenities of Romanization.
        1. It took the Romans two centuries of continuous warfare to conquer, subjugate and pacify.
        2. Augustus divides into three provinces.,
        3. In 74, Vespasian extends "Latin right" (partial citizenship) to all communities in Iberian. Municipal charters on Roman model. Configuration of a Roman town in Spain; note the number of theaters in Spain. Roman theater at Merida.
        4. New research indicates that Romanization was essentially on political and urban level; Keltic tradition in religion and social institutions remained strong; Kelts were eclectic. Romans remained tolerant of cultural diversity so long as it did not threaten the peace. Cf. a sacrificial scene.
      2. Romanization of Gaul.
      3. Judaea: an extreme case, but indicates range. Evidence: Josephus, Roman
        1. By 100 B.C., Judaea is a client-state. About as many Jews living outside Judaea as in it. The Jewish Diaspora
        2. Relations to Rome
          1. Some Jews held full Roman citizenship.
          2. Roman troops stations outside Judaea, at Caesarea, under a procurator serving the governor of Syria.
          3. Issues: The Romans accepted Judaism as it was, namely as an ancient and national cult; they generally stayed outside of internal conflicts and respected religious feelings. Conflicts around
            1. imposition of imperial cult
            2. taxation (to Yahweh or to Caesar?)
            3. internal dissension (overpopulation, the Sicarii and others)
            4. Roman maladministration.
  5. Our Problem --may now be re-stated: What factors encouraged subjects to become Roman?
    1. PEACE = pax Romana: Army stationed on the frontier to defend (see above); note also that the internal peace is secured by a benevolent dictator RC §7 (esp 23-26)
    2. HIGHER STANDARDS associated with URBAN culture (evidence below)
    3. INCLUSION in every area, political, cultural, etc., and TOLERANCE of diversity (supporting material throughout this lecture, esp the quotations at the beginning and item III B and in IV A 4 above. 
    4. Local (limited) AUTONOMY RC II 63-5
    5. LAW: equitable treatment of subjects; these were very real benefactions.  RC II pp330-1, but note also pp. 335-7 for more a more negative assessment of the Roman Empire. Subject of a lecture in two weeks.
  6. More specifically and by region...
    1. In the west, the absorption of roman civil institutions and the Latin language produced a society of Romans. This process was fostered by
      1. the general cultural "backwardness" of the west,
      2. by a clear program of advancement in constitutional privilege. There were concrete rewards for Romanizing, but generally tolerance of cultural diversity at ALL levels.
      3. In the east, ruler cult (RC § 162) was the traditional means of expressing loyalty:
        1. Connected with provincial assemblies, the purpose of meeting was to honor emperor.
        2. Genuine feeling --one could be grateful, play on old urban rivalries in allocation of honors; given to the most loyal, most Roman community
      4. Important to realize that Romanization proceeded from the elite down and from town to countryside. To understand Romanization then one must understand that the leading provincials were first absorbed and given a position among the elite. Origins of emperors (cf. above the quotation from Tacitus); and of senators in the 2nd Cent.

Other supporting :

  1. Public Culture: On the level of urbanization:a map of the sites; of Timgad; of Arles; of Merida, of Trier
    1. Theaters: A common feature of urban culture and civic identity: A sampling of theaters. of Marcellus; aerial of Ostia; Ostia detail; Vaisson; pompeii; trier; merida; arles; ephesus & model; palmyra loges and stage; petra; jerash
    2. and of amphitheaters: Coliseum (model; coin; verona; el djem; arles)
    3. and in one region: Iberian peninsula
  2. Example of public sanitation (as a model for incentives)
  3. Urban amenities (beyond the amphitheaters, theaters and baths described above): a reminder of what we covered earlier. comfortable private life:atrium, bedroom, toilette, apt complex; Pompeii from the air; Ostia forum
  4. City charters:
  5. Population density in the Roman Empire

Significance of the data? Recall the basic question: why did people adopt Roman civic values? and what lesson can we learn from the Roman experience?

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