Romanization (cultural)
Elite children from Mauretania to Gaul were taken to be raised and educated in Rome. This practice ensured that the future leaders of local communities grew up immersed in Roman customs and language. The upper classes adopted Roman culture first while old ways lingered longest among peasants in outlying countryside and rural areas. Hostages played an important part in this process, creating a direct link between distant provinces and the capital. Ancient Roman historiography confidently identified these different processes with a phrase meaning the civilization of barbarians. Modern historians take a more nuanced view today. By making their peace with Rome, local elites could make their position more secure and reinforce their prestige. New themes include the study of personal and group values and the construction of identity. These transitions operated differently in different provinces. Even a single Roman province may be too broad a canvas to generalize.
Until Trajan, colonies were created by using retired veteran soldiers, mainly from the Italian peninsula. These men promoted Roman customs and laws with the use of Latin. It has been estimated that at the beginning of the empire, about 750,000 Italians lived in the provinces. Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Augustus settled many of their veterans in colonies across Italy and the provinces. Augustus stated that he had settled 120,000 soldiers in twenty colonies in Italy in 31 BCE. He then sent another 100,000 men to colonies in Spain and southern Gaul in 14 BCE. A further 96,000 arrived in 2 BCE. From 49 to 32 BCE about 420,000 Italians were recruited into the legions. The Lex Calpurnia allowed citizenship to be granted for distinguished bravery. For example, the 1,000 socii from Camerinum after Vercellae received Roman citizenship in 101 BCE. By the time of Augustus, the legions consisted mostly of ethnic Latins, Italics, and Cisalpine Gauls.
Many non-Latin provincial languages survived the entire period while sustaining considerable Latin influence. These include the ancestor languages of Welsh, Albanian, Basque, and Berber. Where there was language replacement, it took place in the early imperial stage in some cases like Italy. In others, native languages only totally succumbed to Latin after the fall of the Empire. The Gaulish language is thought to have survived into the 6th century in France despite considerable Romanization of local material culture. Gregory of Tours wrote in the 6th century that a shrine in Auvergne which is called Vasso Galatae in the Gallic tongue was destroyed and burnt to the ground. Coexisting with Latin, Gaulish helped shape the Vulgar Latin dialects that developed into French. Effects included loanwords such as oui, sound changes, and influences in conjugation and word order. The very existence of Romanization remains a source of contention among modern archaeologists regarding how much language truly changed.
One of the first approaches taken by Francis Haverfield saw this process beginning in primarily post-conquest societies like Britain and Gaul. He assumed veteran colonies would speak Latin and be citizens of Rome following their army tenure. This thought process formed the basis for the modern understanding of Romanization but was fueled by early 20th century standards of imperialism. Recent scholarship has devoted itself to providing alternate models of how native populations adopted Roman culture. Native elites were encouraged to increase social standing through association with the powerful conqueror in dress, language, housing or food consumption. No uniformity of identity exists that can accurately be described as traditional Romanization. Fundamental differences within a province are visible through economics, religion and identity. Aspects of both native and Roman cultures joined together as seen in the Roman acceptance of non-Classical religious practices. Creolization occurs as a result of negotiation between different elements of non-egalitarian societies so material culture becomes ambiguous.
In the eastern half of the Empire, Latin had to compete with Greek which largely kept its position as lingua franca. Ancient civilizations like those of Ancient Egypt, Anatolia, the Balkans, Syria, and Palestine effectively resisted all but its most superficial effects. When the Empire was divided, the east marked by increasing strength of specifically Greek culture saw the detriment of the Latin language. While Britain certainly was Romanized, its approximation to the Roman culture seems to have been smaller than that of Gaul. The most Romanized regions included Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Gaul, southern Germany and Dalmatia. Roman names were adopted by some and the Latin language was spread greatly facilitated by the fact that many cultures were mostly oral. Anyone who wanted to deal with the bureaucracy or with the Roman market had to write in Latin. The local customary laws were supplanted in part by Roman law regarding property and inheritance.
The regions of Levant and Mesopotamia were re-Semiticized by the Arab conquests of the Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates. These events reversed the Romanization and Hellenization of the native Semitic peoples after centuries of Roman rule. Slavic migrations to the Balkans also contributed to the de-Romanization of the region. The rapid demographic spread of the Slavs was followed by a population exchange mixing and language shift to and from Slavic. Romanization in most western regions remains such a powerful cultural influence today that they are described as Latin countries. That is most evident in European countries in which Romance languages are spoken. According to Theodor Mommsen, cultural Romanization was more complete in those areas that developed a neolatin language like Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian. The same process later developed in the recent centuries colonial empires.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did Augustus settle 120,000 soldiers in twenty colonies in Italy?
Augustus settled 120,000 soldiers in twenty colonies in Italy in 31 BCE. He subsequently sent another 100,000 men to colonies in Spain and southern Gaul in 14 BCE.
Which languages survived the entire period of Roman rule despite Latin influence?
The ancestor languages of Welsh, Albanian, Basque, and Berber survived the entire period while sustaining considerable Latin influence. The Gaulish language is thought to have survived into the 6th century in France despite considerable Romanization of local material culture.
Who were the first people taken to be raised and educated in Rome from Mauretania to Gaul?
Elite children from Mauretania to Gaul were taken to be raised and educated in Rome. This practice ensured that future leaders of local communities grew up immersed in Roman customs and language.
What regions are considered the most Romanized areas of the Empire?
The most Romanized regions included Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Gaul, southern Germany and Dalmatia. According to Theodor Mommsen, cultural Romanization was more complete in those areas that developed a neolatin language like Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
How did veteran soldiers promote Roman customs and laws in the provinces until Trajan?
Until Trajan, colonies were created by using retired veteran soldiers mainly from the Italian peninsula. These men promoted Roman customs and laws with the use of Latin.