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Having set the background and gained a glimpse of just how thorny the subject could be it seems easiest to change tack and take the loosest of definitions. Listing some of the many things for which Ancient Rome might justly be remembered for....in no particular order: Advanced roads and road networks Milestones The standard width of our modern roads and tunnels is based on that of ancient Rome (there was a standard width for cart wheels, essentially based on the need of placing two horses side by side). The worn ruts in the roads made it virtually impossible to use any other measure. Triumphal arches Aqueducts (actually they learned much about structures from the Estruscans, but developed it to perfection) Bronze valves and water pumps. Huge numbers of instruments and tools for engineering, construction and measurement. The Romans were, after all, excellent engineers. For example you could purchase your access to water supply for set hours of the day or set quantities of water, which were dutifully metered and billed, pretty much as you would today, albeit with slighty different technology!. Medical and Surgical tools (mainly thanks to the Greeks actually but hugely developed as a consequence of the needs generated by Gladiatorial games and continuous war campaigns) Cesareans - sounds like Caesar doesn't it? Cesareans were often used to save the baby if the mother died during childbirth. Fast curing cement - hugely important discovery which allowed cement to cure and harden in short times and even under water. The ancient Romans realised that adding pozzolanic earth from volcanic regions (Eg Pozzuoli near Naples) to traditional mortar allowed a water proof and extremely solid mix. This could be used to waterproof the interior of aqueduct tunnels or extend the potentials of Roman architecture with impo

Taxation had to be increased to pay for this large army

The Romans were forced to increase the size of their army.

Rome was engaged in border skirmishes with the tribes north of the great European rivers

Strong emperors occasionally extended the empire over the rivers while weak emperors tended to lose those land

The largest organised rival of the Romans was the Persian Empire to the east, occupying modern Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The Persians were the political descendants of the Parthians who had revolted away from Greek rule following Alexander's conquests and, thereafter, successfully resisted Roman invasions.

lipstick and other cosmetics

Their advances in technology include the actual invention of concrete, roman roads, roman arches, and aqueducts.

invented the umbrella

Ancient Greek technology developed at an unprecedented speed during the 5th century BC, continuing up to and including the Roman period, and beyond. Inventions that are credited to the ancient Greeks such as the gear, screw, rotary mills, screw press, bronze casting techniques, water clock, water organ, torsion catapult and the use of steam to operate some experimental machines and toys and a chart to find prime numbers.

further exploitation on a

At least 75 were adult male skeletons, all under the age of 45, around an inch taller than the Roman average and well built. This demographic alone is unusual for a Roman cemetery of the era. But the manner in which the remains were buried was oddest of all. The heads had been removed, placed in the graves on the chests or between the legs of the bodies.

Forensic work conducted on the bones revealed one man had been bitten by a large carnivore, such as a lion or bear, which were fought by gladiators in the arena. Another skeleton showed signs of a massive hammer blow to the head, a method of mercy killing delivered to badly wounded fighters.

The bones also showed that the men had much stronger right arms than left, which was normal for slaves trained to fight in the arena from childhood. In addition, the bones showed evidence of childhood stress and deprivation, which would be expected for gladiatorial slaves, and healed wounds that suggested lives well used to injury and fighting.

they often quarreled with one another and were not united against Macedonia