• The Roman Empire, which only started from a mere city, grew to one of the largest empires ever. However, like nearly all vast, prosperous empires, the Roman Empire fell at one point.
    The first question that would come to most people’s minds is: How did the Roman Empire fall? There are many theories to how Rome fell. One theory was the rise of prices, or inflation. At one point, Rome no longer conquered any more neighboring areas. Because of this, Rome’s flow of gold stopped abruptly. To replace their loss, the emperors raised the prices to pretty much everything, including food and clothing. Another theory was that the Romans spent an excess amount of money and attention to the army. Because there were so many men serving in the army, there was hardly anyone left to farm and provide enough food for the Empire. A third theory was unemployment. A vast amount of the population in the Roman Empire was unemployed. How would the Empire prosper if there was no one farming, selling items, or making goods? Theories like these are probable reasons for why the Roman Empire declined until, ultimately, it collapsed. The Roman Empire, however, like most all other empires before and after it, had its legacies and accomplishments.
    There were many accomplishments that the Romans made. One especially important accomplishment was the idea of a republic form of government. Instead of being based on whether or not you were related to royalty, the Romans elected their leaders. This way, only people who were considered strong leaders were elected. Another accomplishment was the system of laws. The Roman laws were organized into the Twelve Tablets of Law. The laws were displayed so that people could see them. Laws would help keep everything from going crazy. The Romans also developed Latin, which became the Western Empire’s major language. Also the Romans contributed to the spread of Greek ideas and Christianity. The Romans studied and copied Greek ideas. Their plan to destroy Christianity backfired, and Christianity became a major religion in the Empire. These five accomplishments greatly influenced our world today.
    Several ideas and styles in our community have been influenced by the Romans. Take the Latin language, for example. The major language of Rome greatly influences the vocabulary of several languages, including English. In fact, the scientific names of all animals and plants are in Latin! Rome’s republic form of government also greatly influences our own. We elect the leaders that we believe are strong, just as the Romans did. Rome’s system of laws has also influenced our own. The main points of Roman laws have become the foundation of other countries’ laws.
    Though Rome is long gone, we still remember their great accomplishments. Our world still stays influenced by their styles.