Effects of Ancient Romans
The ancient Romans have many lasting effects on the modern world, such as, but not limited to: Creation of law, language influences, art, literature, infrastructure, and city planning. Rome also had an impact on the spread of Christianity.
A major influence on modern time was the Roman system of law. The law of twelve tables, developed a division between public law where the state is now involved directly. This was the base for what we now know as "Civil Law". The Roman's had juries, and the idea "Innocent until proven guilty" that is the basis of US criminal justice system stems from ancient Roman ideas.
The Romans also were responsible for the spread of Latin, which formed the basis for Western languages like English. Teachers sometimes teach student Latin in order for students to understand the English language better.
Another area of influence for the Romans was Literature. Romans followed the famous Greek authors and often expanding on their writing. Writers like Shakespeare, Robert Graves, Dante, and James Joyce were all influenced by the Romans.
Romans also made improvements to infrastructure. They made roads more durable, and made them so the center was at an angle so rain water would drift off. They had signs every "Roman mile" to mark how far off every town was. They developed underground water systems that carried clean water to buildings and houses. The Romans created parks, public libraries, and plazas. Roman theaters also have an impact on modern theaters.
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