Roman Legacy
Despite the fact that the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the year 476, it has left a lasting impact on the world that continues to the present day. Like the Greek civilization that came before it, the Roman Empire set the stage for what would become Western civilization. The influence of Rome was so powerful that a number of states claimed to be the successor of it in the many centuries that followed its collapse. An example of this would be the Holy Roman Empire. When the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, the Sultan Mehmed II made the city his capital and said that it was the throne of the Roman Empire.
In addition to Western Civilization, the Roman Empire also had a lasting effect on Eastern Civilizations. A large number of nations would borrow their legal systems from Rome, and the technology for cement was based on discoveries that were made by the Romans. Christianity was also born during the Roman Empire, and it was Rome that introduced neo-classical architecture to the world. The Romans built an advanced road system that can still be seen today, thousands of years after their initial construction. While Western civilization today may borrow much from the Greeks, their legal system is Roman at its foundation.
Original Authors: Stephen Palmer
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 14/07/2008
