What Are the Contributions of Rome?
Cultural, economical, religious and political contributions made by the ancient Roman empire hold strong in today’s Western society. From engineering aqueducts to creating newspapers and implementing welfare, Roman contributions are as relevant today as they were when the empire fell more than 1,500 years ago.
Romans used their engineering skills to perfect the aqueduct, leading to public toilets and baths, a sewage system and fresh drinking water. The Romans also invented cement. However, the original recipe was lost, and the technique for making cement was only rediscovered in 1824.
Newspapers were also founded, and they addressed political, cultural and military occurrences. Originally, these newspapers were only available to a select few, until Julius Cesar ordered them to be available to the public.
The formation of the Roman Republic led way to modern democracy. The Republic was formed to limit dictatorship by distributing power through three government branches. The concept of the citizen was also born. While citizenship did not span across women or all social classes equally, citizens were allowed to vote, marry freeborn women and engage in commerce.
Romans are also responsible for the spread of Christianity. Roman emperor Constantine established Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire in the year 312. Prior religious beliefs required sacrifices to appease the gods. Christianity offered people the ability to have a one-on-one personal relationship with a single god.
