9781422285862

The legacy of the Roman Empire in Western culture is impossible to over- state. Modern conveniences that we often take for granted, such as indoor plumbing, have their origins in the Roman Empire, as do agricultural advances such as irrigation systems. Romans developed and codified legal concepts such as the right to property that remain the foundation for Western societies. Architects still utilize building details perfected by the Romans, while writers build upon Roman literary techniques. Latin, the language of the Romans, is the basis of many modern European languages. Even modern Italians’ love of wine can be traced to their country’s Roman ancestors. After Constantine converted to Christianity in the early fourth century, the empire grew steadily more aligned with the religion. In the year 800, Pope Leo III made the Frankish king Charlemagne Western Roman emperor, thus beginning the era of the Holy Roman Empire. This very complicated assembly of kingdoms, papal states (properties belonging to the Catholic Church), and other smaller territories was designed to recapture the past glory of the Roman Empire and uphold Christian ideals. However, constant disputes between land- owners and conflicts of interest between the Church and the emperor made these goals impossible. Though the Holy Roman Empire was not officially dis- solved until 1806, it was marked by confusion throughout. HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE? Due to the Holy Roman Empire’s ever-shifting alliances between and among territories, the French philosopher Voltaire once quipped that Pont du Gard (“bridge over the River Gardon”), which is part of a massive irrigation system in southeastern France, is one of the biggest examples today of ancient Roman engineering.

it “was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.”

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MAJOR NATIONS IN A GLOBAL WORLD: ITALY