TheRomanEmpirewasforgedinwaranddefendedbymilitarymight.ItalsoenduredbecauseoftheRomans’abilitytoassimilateandpacifythedifferentpeoplesandcultureswithintheirprovinces.InRome’searlyyearsitdidnotannexeterritorybutcreatedalliances,firstwiththeItaliantribesandthenwiththeleadersofoutlyingstates.Someterritorieswerewonwithoutwagingwar,throughrulerswhohadgrownclosetoRome.AndRomerealisedthatitprofitedfromtheseterritories,withtheiragriculturalproduce,minerals,manpowerforarmies,slaves,androutesfortrade.Governmentoftheprovinceswastailoredtothecharacterofthelandsandpeople.UnfriendlypeoplesbeyondRome’sboundariesrepresentedathreatthatRomecouldnowtackleonbehalfofthosewithinitssphere.Warlordscouldbeconquered,buttheycouldalsobebribed.NativegodswereequatedasfaraspossiblewithRomanones.Manydiverselanguages,customsandreligionscontinuedunderRomanrule.ProvincialscouldriseinstatusandbecomefullRomancitizens,whileinhabitantsoftownsandcitiesgovernedthemselves,underthearmy’smilitaryumbrella.OnlygroupswithsuchwidespreadinfluencethattheychallengedRome’sauthoritywerethen,oftenruthlessly,targeted.TheDruidsandtheChristianswereamongthem.ThehistoryofRome’sEmpireisthereforeshowntobemorecomplexandimpressivethanthatofamilitarysuperpowerimposing’PaxRomana’.
