Question

Write a paragraph explaining the ways in which Roman influence can be seen in our society today. Use details from the lesson and reading for support.

Answer 1

Roman influence is still visible everywhere in modern life: as the lesson and reading show, our legal and political systems borrow heavily from Roman ideas (the concept of republic government, checks on power, and legal principles like “innocent until proven guilty” and codified law such as the Justinian tradition), our languages carry Latin roots that shape much English vocabulary and all the Romance languages, and our calendar preserves Roman names for months (July for Julius, August for Augustus). Roman engineering and architecture set patterns we still use — durable concrete, the arch, vault and dome (seen in the Pantheon) enabled roads like the Appian Way, aqueducts that supplied cities (analogous to modern water systems), and the layout of streets and sewage works such as the Cloaca Maxima. Public institutions and culture also reflect Rome: the Colosseum and amphitheaters inspired modern stadiums and public entertainment spaces, Roman baths prefigure public pools and spas, and Christianity’s spread under Rome shaped Western religion and institutions. Together these legal, linguistic, architectural, and institutional legacies described in the reading explain why Roman achievements remain foundational to our society today.