Why did the Romans a war-like culture?

Question

I find it kind of weird. A republic with senators, elected by the people,(I think any Roman citizen can vote, but idk). They keep raising huge armies and conquering places. Why?

I don't know much about the Roman history and culture. (from its start to end-the roman city kingdom, republic, empire,etc.)

Answer 1

the Romans viewed Gauls, Carthage, and others as threats in initially; for the Gauls sacked rome in 390 BC; and they never forgot that.
Carthage can be simply chalked up to 2 great powers having it out. After that, Pirates in Anatolia were a problem, so Pompey took control of most of that area for the Romans, Caesar took Gaul; and that was the bulk of the Empire right there; and also the end of the Republic and beginning of the Empire when Octavian/Augusutus took over.
So they always had some threat on their borders that had to be quelled, and they raised armies to quell them.

Answer 2

The Roman Empire was different things at different times, including more dictatorships than a republic. But just compare it to today? How many years has the US had troops somewhere so the politicians at home could win some votes. It is easier to unite a country under a Nationalistic banner and a you are aren't with us then you are against us attitude. And you Unite the home population by identifying some other people as the enemy. For the Romans, when lots of their leaders were Generals, great battles are what identified them as worthy.

Answer 3

it hasn't changed much over time. But what is really interesting is that large parts of the Roman legions were made up of conquered tribes! It gave the Roman empire an enormous sense of unity. Somehow they made that the conquered people became proud Romans. Rome was extremely multi-cultural, and becoming official Roman citizen was a great honor. Sort of like a greencard...

Answer 4

Maybe becuase in these times everyone was their enemy. the Britons, the Germanic tribes, the gauls, the Carthaginians, the Egyptians, etc. After they became an empire and their empire grew, endless Legions needed to be raised to protect the frontier on some places and extend the empire on the others. Eventullay the Roman military found itself overstreched and unable to protect the empire, one of the major reasons for its decline

Answer 5

The Romans raised armies to conquer more and more and to hold more and more of what they had already taken. Certainly self-defense was in there initially but they were imperialists. They weren't this great civilization that found itself surrounded by enemies per se but rather enemies they, in many cases, created for themselves. Viscious cycle really.

Answer 6

It was the same then as it is now,
some humans are born greedy and lust for power,
the Romans were the bully boys of there day,
and if you look through history, you will see that most races had a go at ruling the world, fed by greed, but in the end they all failed and left us in the sh-te state we are in today.