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The greatest civilization of all
Discussing the merits of civilizations in another thread, it got me to thinking: what was the most important single one of all? I'll post mine first, with my main reasons. Let's here what the membership thinks. My choice is Greece, for the following reasons: Human freedom was born and given voice by a small land on the agean sea. It was these people who stood agaisnt the greatest tyrants(up to that time), the Persians. They gave law and a democratic sprit that still lights the world by it's glow. They embraced science and rational thought as no one ever did before. They spread their wings and their culture through out the world, to such a degree that it is still felt to this day. And to me these are the most important things of all.
<font size=1 face=Arial color=444444>[This message has been edited by cpoulos (edited January 21, 2001).]</font>
<font size=1 face=Arial color=444444>[This message has been edited by cpoulos (edited January 21, 2001).]</font>
I'll try to make my argument a little more persuading: There are two clues to an understanding of the Romans: they borrowed much from the Greeks and others, and they modified what they took. Rome was the great intermediary - the bridge over which passed the rich contributions of the ancient Near East and especially Greece, to form the basis of modern Western civilization. The Romans replaced the anarchy of the Hellenistic Age with law and order and embraced the intellectual and artistic legacy of the conquered Greeks. As Rome's empire expanded, this legacy was spread westward throughout most of Europe. The growth of Rome from a small city-state to the dominant power in the Mediterranean world in less than 400 years (509-133 B.C.) is a remarkable success story. Roman expansion was not deliberately planned; rather, it was the result of dealing with unsettled conditions, first in Italy and then abroad, which were thought to threaten Rome's security. Rome always claimed that its wars were defensive. By 270 B.C. the first phase of Roman expansion was over. Ringed by hostile peoples - Etruscans in the north, predatory hill tribes in central Italy, and Greeks in the south - Rome had subdued them all after long, agonizing effort and found itself master of all Italy south of the Po valley. (After Rome's fall in the fifth century A.D., Italy was not again unified until 1870.) In the process the Romans developed the administrative skills and traits of character - both fair-minded and ruthless - that would lead to the acquisition of an empire with possessions on three continents by 133 B.C. Instead of slaughtering or enslaving their defeated foes, the Romans treated them fairly, in time creating a strong loyalty to Rome throughout the peninsula. Roman citizenship was a prized possession that was not extended to all peoples on the peninsula until the first century B.C. Most defeated states were required to sign a treaty of alliance with Rome, which bound them to adhere to Rome's foreign policy and to supply troops for the Roman army. No tribute was required, and each allied state retained local self-government. Rome did, however, annex about one fifth of the conquered lands, on which nearly thirty colonies were established by 250 B.C. 
for rome 
for end of work!
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