61) the history of Rome Written by Rainer: rainer.lehrer@yahoo.com Learn languages (via Skype): Rainer: + 36 20 549 52 97 or + 36 20 334 79 74

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The history of Rome 1) The beginning They had come from the north and were looking for water and pasture for their animals. There was water where they settled, but so much that it was actually swamp. In the north their territory was bordered by the well-organized Etruscan, in the south by Greek colonies and further up, upstream, in the east, their relatives lived in the mountains. There were natural enemies: wolves, bears and especially mosquitoes. Every third had malaria. First, the land with the seven hills had slowly to be drained. One lived with nature, but also passed away with it. They were brave like the wolf (the totem animal of the Romans), but they died like them. But why the wolf in particular? Because in the beginning they didn't see an eagle in the woods between the leaves anyway. The vastness of space remained hidden for a while before they stuck the eagle on top of their flags. Now, the way up could begin. The population grew rapidly. Many immigrants arrived. However, there was a shortage of women. Therefore, they went armed to the neighbouring people, occupied the country, kidnapped the women, and killed the male population. The tactic was simple: they made the area unsafe, robbed pets, women, children and then retired. The enemy either left the area or war broke out. And everyone had to participate if one wanted to get a new piece of land. Whoever could, came on his horse and became an officer; those, who had none, participated on foot. Those, who stayed at home, got nothing of the loot and were expelled. However, slowly the community grew. The wealthier gave a purposeful poor a horse and money to go into battle for them. The size and military order required a leader, so they chose a king. Basic democracy no longer worked at this level. 2) The royal time The well-being of a kingdom is inevitably linked to the personal characteristics of her ruler. Democracy includes self-confident citizens. That was not the case 2-3,000 years ago. (This is still not the case in many countries even today.) Some of these kings, according to the legend there were seven, had a real organizational talent, carried out important reforms in the administrative and tax system, regulated private life, laws and holy days, others were brave and ambitious, but everyone was more or less just concerned with promoting their own benefit. 3) The Republic However, these kings were often not strong enough so that some interest groups managed to overthrow them and gather a council, the Senate, an assembly of the rich and influential. After a while, however, they quarrelled and lower classes could better represent their interests. However, these people did not yet know where the limit of their own interest lay and where one sawed on one’s own branch by continuing to pursue one’s goal. 4) The imperial period The chaos became so great that some interest groups got the upper hand and civil war broke out. In the end, there was the imperial period. Again, the state authority was united in one hand. Further conquests were made. How could this worst form of government still be so successful? There was no competition in Africa, Europe or Asia and China or India were too far away. The development seemed to have stopped. As long as new areas could be conquered and robbed, everything went smoothly. Imports from the provinces were so cheap that they first ruined the small farmers and then underbid slave labour on the landlords' large properties. The slave was liberated and together with impoverished moved to the big cities to exercise their right to free care as a Roman citizen. Italy was sentenced to inactivity. The empire had grown too big. Through succession wars, it split into two parts, the eastern and western. 5) The end of the western part What had been an advantage at first, now led to collapse. Without competition there is no incentive. Then Christianity came into this void with its life-negating teachings. The Romans had loved life, the Christian, however, was waiting for death. And that soon came. It is still an unanswered question why the nomadic peoples began to migrate every few centuries from the Mongolian steppes to the Rhine. But the weakened Western Roman Empire could no longer withstand what we call the great migration of peoples in Europe and which wave began in Asia. Everywhere, the barbarian Germanic tribes and Huns broke into the empire. Back to list!

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