Explanation: Rome is somewhat unusual as a massive world empire in that it did not just start as a small city-state, but didn’t really stop considering itself as a small city-state even after massive imperial expansion. Arguably, it didn’t stop considering its holdings as the extension of the city-state of Rome until the 2nd century AD, or even later!
In its estimation of the world, there was no ‘common’ pre-existing nationhood that was shared, like the Greeks considered other Greeks to be, in some vague way, Greek; to the Romans, everyone who was not from, or did not perfectly imitate, a single little city in a single corner of Italy was a filthy OUTSIDER! Even if they spoke the same language, like those filthy L*tins! For reference, this is the extent of the Latin language (and thus the Latin people) early in Rome’s history (Rome is located inside of the ‘Latin’ territory)
… however, Romans also would, in the Late Republic and the Empire, also gain a reputation for warring with each other. Damn Romans! They ruined Rome!
edgemaster72@lemmy.world 6 days ago
You Romans sure are a contentious people
MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 6 days ago
You’ve made an enemy for life!