The success of Roman Empire was a paradox within itself. Despite its unmatched conquest and proud advocating of Pax Romana and extended citizenship, the empire incorporated a cruel system of enslavement and suppression of its conquered people. While bragging of its unprecedented republican system, Augustus, the most-well known Roman princeps, conspicuously attempted to establish his succession by awarding senatorial positions to his sons. And perhaps most importantly, as M.I. Finley notes, the Roman Empire accomplished many technical innovations without progressing in the way that modernists define progress, without a widespread revolution akin to the 1800s industrial revolution or the modern-day digital revolution (Finely 29). Despite our
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This does not make the said civilization inferior to the contemporary world; in fact, it simply accentuates the different values of the ancient and modern worlds. The ancient world was focused on improving the widespread agrarian lifestyle, which is why “Roman technology consisted primarily in the application of the human and animal force through a variety of tools” (Malanima 8). On the other hand, the modern world values productivity and the idea of capitalism, which was not developed until the 1800s, and since then, the terms capitalism, economic growth, industrialization have been inseparable—together encompassing what it means to be technically innovative by modern …show more content…
In attempting to advance itself, the Roman society developed a dynamic system of trade that included machines that processed agricultural products, freighters to transport the products overseas, and inland waterways and roads to deliver those products to consumers (44). Despite being taken for granted in modern-day life, this intricate system of commercial interaction was unprecedented in the ancient world and should not be taken for granted, for it maximized its resources to achieve innovation. Operating within its bounded rationalism, the Roman Empire improved its architecture, developed aqueducts and some tools, such as the ox-power mechanical reaper, to improve its agrarian lifestyle.
The Greeks and Roman Empire were societies of innovation; by taking advantage of the available resources, they improved greatly on their agricultural and pottery techniques and undoubtedly, revolutionized their eras. If one makes the mistake of judging these societies by modern-day standards, which extol invention over innovation and entrepreneurial skills over empirical success, these societies would be criticized for their lack of productivity, but doing so would be detrimental, for innovation cannot be limited by the constraints of a modern
This does not make the said civilization inferior to the contemporary world; in fact, it simply accentuates the different values of the ancient and modern worlds. The ancient world was focused on improving the widespread agrarian lifestyle, which is why “Roman technology consisted primarily in the application of the human and animal force through a variety of tools” (Malanima 8). On the other hand, the modern world values productivity and the idea of capitalism, which was not developed until the 1800s, and since then, the terms capitalism, economic growth, industrialization have been inseparable—together encompassing what it means to be technically innovative by modern …show more content…
In attempting to advance itself, the Roman society developed a dynamic system of trade that included machines that processed agricultural products, freighters to transport the products overseas, and inland waterways and roads to deliver those products to consumers (44). Despite being taken for granted in modern-day life, this intricate system of commercial interaction was unprecedented in the ancient world and should not be taken for granted, for it maximized its resources to achieve innovation. Operating within its bounded rationalism, the Roman Empire improved its architecture, developed aqueducts and some tools, such as the ox-power mechanical reaper, to improve its agrarian lifestyle.
The Greeks and Roman Empire were societies of innovation; by taking advantage of the available resources, they improved greatly on their agricultural and pottery techniques and undoubtedly, revolutionized their eras. If one makes the mistake of judging these societies by modern-day standards, which extol invention over innovation and entrepreneurial skills over empirical success, these societies would be criticized for their lack of productivity, but doing so would be detrimental, for innovation cannot be limited by the constraints of a modern