Around 750 B.C. the first Roman settlements were established in Europe. By the year 500 B.C. the Estruscans were driven out of Rome and the Roman republic was established. The Romans were the first to unite most of the Middle East, North Africa and West Europe into a single empire. The empire saw stability during the region of its first great emperor Augustus who ruled it with the help of an efficient group of civil servants. The borders of the empire were protected by a strong army comprising of a large number of soldiers.
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These soldiers were equipped with swords, spears and shields and they wore armour. The empire rose to its peak in 200 B.C. Julius Caesar was born in 100 B.C. in Rome. He was an outstanding military commander and he extended the boundaries of the empire by conquering the area presently under Switzerland, France and Belgium. Over the year he became so powerful that in 45B.C. he proclaimed himself as a dictator, three years after the assassination of Pompey. Caesar’s reign was assassinated in 44 B.C.
Roman cities were well planned having paved roads with sewers and drains.
The center of the city had a Law court, a Town Hall and a forum which was encircled by shops. The poor citizens lived in smaller houses and buildings while the rich lived in palatial villas. Most of the menial jobs were performed by slaves who were captured in wars and sold in the markets. The Romans were fond of entertainment and as such there was a large stadium in Rome which still exists, called the ‘Colosseum’. In the Colosseum regular chariot races were held, besides these there were Gladiatorial shows in which strong men or slaves fought to death wild animals like lions etc.
The Romans were skilled craftsman and builders, their houses were heated and skillfully decorated with mosaic work and they had a large number of heated public baths.
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