History mystery: The Pax Romana - Roman Peace

The ancient history on the Pax Romana indicates that in Latin it means `Roman Peace’, the concept of which was first described by Edward Gibbon in `The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’, Chapter II. The Pax Romana lasted from 27 BC with Augustus till the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 AD. While some date it from 30 AD to the reign of Nerva, there are others who date it as late as 1 AD, the reign of Augustus and during the Pax Romana, the area of Roman rule got extended to around five million square km – two million square miles. The Pax Romana was considered as a period of relative peace, cultural achievement and economic prosperity in the Roman Empire which came up after an extended period of civil conflict in Rome when Emperor Augustus came to power after Julius Caesar, his adoptive father who was assassinated. This Latin term was used in reference to the Roman Empire during its glorified time, a period of comparative calmness and minimum extension of the military force of the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean during the first and second centuries AD.

Continued Expansion while remaining united

The Roman Peace is related to the period of 200 years of peace in Rome in which the Romans continued to expand their empire while remaining united during that period and the Roman citizens were well secured with the government maintaining law, order and stability in the country. There were no military campaigns during that period and it was considered as the peak of success of the Roman Empire where it enjoyed a period of relative peace. Moreover it was also characterized by minimum expansion of military forces of the Roman Empire during that period which lasted for around 206 years providing security and stability among the feudal system. Peace in Rome related to a strong professional army which was stationed a long distance from the empire and since there were not enough soldiers, the legions were evenly spread out at locations in troubled areas. When these soldiers finally retired, they generally settled down in those areas where they had been stationed.

Progress in Architecture and Building 

Pax Romana saw many accomplishments and advances during those two hundred years especially in engineering and arts where the Romans built extensive system of roads to improve their extensive empire. These helped to facilitate the movement of troops as well as communication. Besides this, they also built aqueducts to divert water to different locations in the cities and farms. Most of their progress in architecture and building was based on the Roman’s discovery of concrete which helped them in the creation of huge domes and arches during that period. The Pantheon in Rome, one of the most famous structures during that period is considered as the largest free standing domes in the world in present time. We find some of the finest writers that have come up during the Pax Romana period namely Horace, Ovid, Virgil and Livy to name a few, who made their contribution to poetic and literary masterpieces. Moreover, Roma gradually became the economic, cultural as well as the political capital of the whole Western world. Do visit - Elixir of knowledge to get additional details on history mystery belonging to an age before our time.