Whenever the words “Latin” or “Roman” are mentioned, most tend to think about the impact that the language of Latin has had on modern-day English. Some people also think of how Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian, and Portugese are all considered to have descended from Latin. Besides these languages, about sixty percent of words in the English dictionary have either Latin or Greek roots. But I believe that the Romans have contributed even more than etymology to our current society. Many governmental systems were created due to the Roman Republic formed in 509 BC, which was established even before the Greek democracy. The Roman Navy was admired by countless naval strategists throughout history, even though the Roman Army has had even a greater impact on warfare. Not only did the Romans create the roads, but modern-day trains are slightly modeled after Roman chariots. Individuals like Cloelia and Mucius Scaevola have become stories of perseverance and bravery, and a large majority of people know of Romulus and Julius Caesar for their accomplishments. Roman art and architecture have also been an inspiration for artists and engineers. The Roman Empire is one of the most successful empires in history, and due to its control over Western Europe, countless aspects of our current lives have been directly and indirectly affected by it. All in all, between the actual language of Latin and Roman life and culture, the ancient Romans have left an unerasable mark on the world that will affect modern society for centuries to come.
Art by: Dhurva Shukla