How did the Romans control their empire?

Answer 1

By leaving government in the hands of the local peoples - city, tribal or petty kings/princes - and having a provincial Roman governor with legions to enforce overall authority and internal and external order and defence, and to ensure that taxes were remitted.

Answer 2

The Roman imperial expansion occurred through various separate wars which were fought for different reasons and which she won. Her military success was due to a number of factors:

1) A large pool of military manpower. When Rome expanded into the mountains of central and southern Italy as a result of the Second and Third Samnite Wars (326-304 BC and 298-290 BC) she turned the peoples who lived in these areas into allies. They had to supply soldiers who fought in auxiliary troops which supported the Roman legions at their own expenses in exchange for protection and a share of the spoils of war. The allies provided 60% of the pool of military manpower available to Rome. This pool was the largest in the Mediterranean. This large manpower played a crucial role in defeating the attempted invasions of Italy by Pyrrhus (Pyrrhic War, 275-270 BC) and Hannibal (Second Punic War 218-201 BC).

2) The capability to deploy several legions on several fronts at the same time. This capability was developed during the Early Republic when Rome was frequently attacked from its north (by the Sabines and Etruscan cities) and its south (by the Aequi and the Volsci). It was further refined in the Second and Third Samnite Wars, when Rome, again, fought on two fronts at the same time. During the second Punic War, the Romans fought on two fronts in Italy + a campaign in Spain + a war in Greece. That makes four fronts at the same time and, contemporaneously, they also kept a legion to guard Etruria.

3) The willingness to adapt. Originally the Roman army adopted the phalanx military formation of the Greeks. When they were defeated on the mountains of the Samnites they adopted the manipular formation of the Samnite enemies because it was more flexible and better suited for mountain warfare. The Romans also adopted the Spanish sword and the Gallic design for helmets. When they needed a fleet capable to match the mighty Carthaginian fleet in the First Punic War, they adopted the ship design of the Carthaginians.

4) Sheer determination. The Romans pursued victory in war to the bitter end and by any means. One example was the titanic and very expensive building of a 180 mile long stone-paved road, the first ever in history (the Appian Way) to facilitate the movement of troops and military supplies to the front during the second Samnite War. Another example was during the First Punic War. Both the Carthaginian and Roman fleet became depleted and the coffers of both states were empty. What made the difference was that the Roman rich paid for an additional fleet from their own pockets. This fleet went on to win the final battle of the war.

5) Good military training. The training of Roman soldiers was already very good when the army was a citizen militia, before it became a professional army.

The Romans retained control over the empire through tolerating the religions and customs of the conquered peoples. They allowed them to continue to worship their religions, follow their customs and use their customary laws at the local level. They also let the local ruling classes run most of the local affairs. The role of the provincial governors of the provinces (conquered territories) was restricted to defence and maintenance of the legions stationed in the provinces, tax collection, public works and the arbitration of disputes the locals could not resolve by themselves. This policy had two advantages: it reduced the administrative load of the provincial governors and it facilitated the integration of the locals into the ideology and the economy of the empire. A less tolerant policy would have led to too many rebellions and would have threatened the stability of the empire.

Answer 3

Roman imperial expansion did not occur through a grand design of conquest. Although there were cases in which conquest was a deliberate aim, most conquests through various separate wars which were fought for different reasons and which she won. Her military success was due to a number of factors:

1) A large pool of military manpower. When Rome expanded into the mountains of central and southern Italy as a result of the Second and Third Samnite Wars (326-304 BC and 298-290 BC) she turned the peoples who lived in these areas into allies. They had to supply soldiers who fought in auxiliary troops which supported the Roman legions at their own expenses in exchange for protection and a share of the spoils of war. The allies provided 60% of the pool of military manpower available to Rome. This pool was the largest in the Mediterranean. This large manpower played a crucial role in defeating the attempted invasions of Italy by Pyrrhus (Pyrrhic War, 275-270 BC) and Hannibal (Second Punic War 218-201 BC).

2) The capability to deploy several legions on several fronts at the same time. This capability was developed during the Early Republic when Rome was frequently attacked from its north (by the Sabines and Etruscan cities) and its south (by the Aequi and the Volsci). It was further refined in the Second and Third Samnite Wars, when Rome, again, fought on two fronts at the same time. During the second Punic War, the Romans fought on two fronts in Italy + a campaign in Spain + a war in Greece. That makes four fronts at the same time and, contemporaneously, they also kept a legion to guard Etruria.

3) The willingness to adapt. Originally the Roman army adopted the phalanx military formation of the Greeks. When they were defeated on the mountains of the Samnites they adopted the manipular formation of the Samnite enemies because it was more flexible and better suited for mountain warfare. The Romans also adopted the Spanish sword and the Gallic design for helmets. When they needed a fleet capable to match the mighty Carthaginian fleet in the First Punic War, they adopted the ship design of the Carthaginians.

4) Sheer determination. The Romans pursued victory in war to the bitter end and by any means. One example was the titanic and very expensive building of a 180 mile long stone-paved road, the first ever in history (the Appian Way) to facilitate the movement of troops and military supplies to the front during the second Samnite War. Another example was during the First Punic War. Both the Carthaginian and Roman fleet became depleted and the coffers of both states were empty. What made the difference was that the Roman rich paid for an additional fleet from their own pockets. This fleet went on to win the final battle of the war.

5) Good military training. The training of Roman soldiers was already very good when the army was a citizen militia, before it became a professional army.

Rome kept such a large empire unified through tolerance, proving benefits, Propaganda and the army. The Romans tolerated the religions and customs of the conquered peoples. They allowed them to continue to worship their religions, follow their customs and use their customary laws at the local level. They also let the local ruling classes run most of the local affairs. The role of the provincial governors of the provinces (conquered territories) was restricted to defence and maintenance of the legions stationed in the provinces, tax collection, public works and the arbitration of disputes the locals could not resolve by themselves. This policy had two advantages: it reduced the administrative load of the provincial governors and it facilitated the integration of the locals into the ideology and the economy of the empire. A less tolerant policy would have led to too many rebellions and would have threatened the stability of the empire.

The conquered peoples benefited from being integrated into the thriving trading networks of the Roman Empire. The emperor's promoted an imperial ideology which legitimised their rule and promoted cultural integration around the empire. The Romans used their army to suppress rebellions in a ruthless manner.

Answer 4

The Romans maintained controls by establishing an overall settlement for the region. They used local government of tributary kings and city states to administer the cities and kingdoms.