Expert: Maria - 11/18/2007

Question
I was reading a book on ancient Rome the other day and I wondered why the Romans could unify their peninsula?


Answer
Hello,

In short I can tell you that the Romans were able to conquer and then unify Italy because they were a very warlike people that  had organized a powerful army and  led  well-disciplined legions that fought bravely and challenged  death without fear.

Moreover the Romans were a very united people  led by good political organizations (senate, consuls, etc.) and  had  gallant generals so that they were able to conquer not only their peninsula, but  also most Europe (England, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Nederland, Belgium, Greece, Albania, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania);  the  islands of the Mediterranean sea;  most of Asia west of the Euphrates, (Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Arabia, Palestine, Israel, Syria)  and northern Africa ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt).

So the Romans  created an empire who lasted for many centuries, from the 3rd.century BC to the 5th.century AD,  and fell only in 476 AD, when the Roman legions could not defend anymore the borders against invading barbarians and  effective communication to control the empire had become  impossible, due to the enormous distances.

Note that it was just a barbarian invasion, i.e. that of the  Longobards led by  Alboin, who invaded Northern Italy in 568 AD, that the Italian peninsula lost its unity which got back only in 1861.

Best regards,
Maria