Towards the end of Antiquity in the West, one empire controlled and influenced almost the entire Mediterranean region: the Roman Empire. By the 2nd century, this vast empire had occupied an immense territory inhabited by people of many different cultures and languages. The influence of this great civilisation is known as Romanisation.
Romanization meant forcing foreign civilisations to adopt Roman culture, i.e. speaking and writing the Latin language throughout the territory acquired, adopting Roman law and its currency, Roman architecture and town planning, etc.
The Roman Empire at its peak
*Note: Image in English coming soon!
As a result, the commoners or the territories conquered by Rome were Romanized. As a result, they learned Latin, built cities in the style of Rome, with similar public buildings, and adopted Rome's institutions, laws and way of life.
To find out more about Romanization, consult the following topic sheets:
The concepts covered in the following sheets go beyond those seen in secondary school. They are intended as a supplement for those who are curious to find out more.