Answer this question in 1,200-2,000 words making a specific reference to the primary sources and visual aids:
The Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period Polybius asked: “Who is so thoughtless and lazy that he does not
want to know in what way and with what kind of government the Romans in less than 53 years conquered the
entire inhabited world and brought it under their rule–an achievement previously unheard of?”
With keen awareness Polybius realized that the Romans were achieving something unique in world history.
What was that achievement? Clearly it was more than creating a huge empire. Despite frontier wars and
provincial rebellions, how did the Romans maintain cohesion in the empire for so long? (You may want to
discuss specifically the workings of the government, the mixed constitution, infrastructure, army, culture,
economics, society, dates, etc.) Why did the Roman Republic come to an end? For the last third of the essay,
evaluate the significance of the Roman Empire based on the readings. What role did Augustus play in the
history of the Roman Empire? When did the Roman Empire reach its political and military high point? Why did
it stop expanding in the East and in the North? You should make at least two references to primary sources
found in the chapter in this paper. Do not write about events after 180 AD.
In brief, this essay is asking you to write about your understanding of the history of the Roman Empire from a
“macro” point of view, but with frequent references to “micro” evidence found in the resources of this unit.
Simply stated: Explain the Roman Empire–its success and challenges. You should support your statements
with evidence from the textbook and the primary sources boxes in the book. In history writing, there should
always be an interplay between specifics and the general. Ask yourself how facts and data that is available can
be used to support the argument you are making to the reader. Part of a writing a solid history essay is your
ability to bring together a wide range of disparate sources into a coherent product. In research, you must learn
to recognize and make decisions about what to put in and what to leave out as you use the sources to buttress
your arguments.
Sample Solution
