Dylan Mayer

 

Mrs. Coy

 

Shepard Academy

 

30 January 2012

 

The American Imagination

 

     According to Henry Ward Beecher as discovered on “BrainyQuote”, every person “exerts some influence, either for good or evil, upon others.” The Roman Empire, through the spread of power by war, or the subtle traces of religion that were implanted into surrounding countries, influenced many cultures with their viewpoints. Rome's influence has a sense of lasting recognition around the world, through the spread of the viewpoints across the sands of time that have passed since Rome was a major world power. One question that has arisen in many experts minds is the simple question of what a modern country like America would be if Rome had never existed to influence any countries, letting a new world power arise in Rome's place. Though they had many superior innovations in areas like war, entertainment, and religion, did they have a lasting impact on the world as a whole?

 

     Rome, though ancient in comparison to the society of today, had a lot of lasting influence to offer than many other countries of their time period. Rome, for lack of a better term, was a military powerhouse with the ambition to conquer every country around them. Their only formidable opponent, Carthage, was much greater in size but was not as adept in warfare as Rome. The Punic Wars, the major battle between Rome and Carthage, started “in 264 B.C.” and eventually “Carthage was burned to the ground and all signs of the [capital] city were destroyed...” (“The Roman Empire”). After defeating Carthage, nothing stood in the Roman Empire's way of conquering most of their surrounding enemies. Before the empire collapsed, they had conquered almost all of Western Europe including such notable countries as “England/Wales, Spain, France, Greece, the Middle East (Judea) and the North African coastal region” (“The Roman Empire”). Rome was then able to spread their culture of religion, warfare, and entertainment throughout most of the world.

 

     Most of the countries conquered by Rome were easily changed to Rome's viewpoint of a perfect society. According to the website “Ancient Roman Religion,” Roman religion was based on polytheism, or the belief in many gods controlling all aspects of our lives. However, most of the gods that were used by the Romans were simply “borrowed” from the Greeks, and molded into a more formal personality (“Ancient Roman Religion”). Whether they stole the Greek gods is a minor issue, one thing they didn't steal were their battle techniques. The Romans had styles of fighting that many countries had never seen before, like surprise attacks from flanks on the sides of the opposing army (“The Roman Army and Warfare”). The Romans even used this lust for violence in their everyday entertainment, with the gladiators. One of the most popular forms of entertainment for many Roman citizens was going to the local coliseum and watching slaves, called gladiators, battle to the death as documented on the website “Gladiators – Who Were the Roman Gladiators?”. Many brave slaves volunteered to become gladiators, because enough wins meant they were given their freedom (“Gladiators – Who Were the Roman Gladiators?”). The Carthaginians, though they were a large country during this time, did not give as much influence as the Roman Empire and their cultures.

 

     Carthage was not a military-based country, like Rome, they instead were a country of peace and calm democracy. “The Carthaginian Empire” states that Carthage was a great example of how cultural ties such as language can help unify countries without the need for violence. “The Carthaginian Empire” continues to say that their government, though considered an oligarchy, was intent on getting input and suggestions from the common people, to reach a decision that we best for every citizen. However, many accounts of Carthage's success were burned by the Romans at the end of the Punic Wars, leaving very little to connect them to surrounding countries (“The Carthaginian Empire”). Regardless, of how many official records exist about Carthage's influence, they still leave a lot to teach America on the power of peace in international relations.

 

     Given the information about Carthage, it is difficult to determine how much America would have changed if Carthage had indeed defeated Rome during the Punic Wars, but it can always be left up to the imagination. Rome has contributed much to American society through the reenactments of entertainment and how their culture is portrayed in movies that America seems to love. Carthage, however, could contribute much on the aspect of peace through common ties, like commerce. Regardless of which angle you look at this alternative history of Rome, the final conclusion had endless possibilities, depending on the person reading the information. In the end, the final result is all left up to the American imagination.