The remains of the Romans’ bold architecture or their straight roads are to be admired from the capital itself to the Black Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and their inscriptions can be read with equal ease from Germany to Morocco and Syria. Yet, to assess the power and coherence of the long-lived Roman Empire demands archaeological research among the villages and the fields as well as the towns and fortresses. Did everyone know that they were Roman subjects? What were the conditions for Roman imperialism, what caused it and why did it fail? How closely integrated was the Empire?
With the help of a couple of sessions to out-line a thousand years of historical development and change, we shall analyse the evidence, both literary and especially archaeological, for complementary aspects of the way of life both in the metropolitan heartland and among the diverse provinces from Egypt to Britain. For most of the Roman era, the apparatus of government was surprisingly light. Although the rulers tended to assess their world with an aristocratic and militaristic outlook, the economy rested very largely on the shoulders of peasants.
As ever, we can recognize the enduring pertinence of issues arising. To what degree was there a common cultural or political identity across the Empire and how was Roman civilization regarded beyond the frontiers? How much did imperial institutions affect everyday life or determine local options? Was the economy globalized, was it sufficiently innovative and was it (other things being equal) sustainable?
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