Day of Empire_ How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance--And Why They Fall - Amy Chua [29]
Rome's High Empire was a pre-modern model of economic globalization, free trade, and open markets that would make a Chicago economist proud. Import taxes and earlier limits on trade between city-states fell away as Rome consolidated its power. As the borders of the empire solidified, Rome became an enormous free-trade zone, with African olive oil and the highly prized Spanish fish sauce garum being traded in markets from Scotland to Cyprus. Commerce boomed as never before, supported by the Pax Romana and an exceptional transportation network consisting of European rivers, Mediterranean seaways, and the famous Roman roads.
Rome's “global economy” extended even to the Far East. Roman merchants sailed the Indian Ocean and traveled the Silk Road to bring back exotic spices, fragrant perfumes, and all kinds of silk and luxurious cloth to the markets of Alexandria, Rome, and London. In return, Rome traded glassware, gold coins, and other goods, which have been found as far away as Vietnam and Malaysia. As early as 289 BC, the Romans had developed bronze coins to meet the commercial needs of the empire, adding a common currency to the mix of factors that made Rome an economic hyperpower.14
But it was not only goods that flowed with ease. Rome also attracted skilled and talented people from the farthest-flung reaches of the empire. It was perfectly common for a Roman military force to include “Cretan archers, Balearic slingers,” Spanish swordsmen, and sailors from the Greek isle of Rhodes. Merchants and traders—particularly Syrians, Jews, Arameans—streamed in and out of Rome, importing “gold, ivory, and precious woods” from Africa, spices from Arabia, “pearls and precious stones” from India, silks from China, “furs from central Asia and Russia, amber from Germany and Scandinavia.” With the exception of slaves and serfs, who were bound to their masters and to the land, Roman subjects across the empire enjoyed an unprecedented level of freedom of movement.
At the same time, Rome offered extraordinary opportunities for upward mobility, even to distant regions. One remarkable story of this kind is told by an inscription found in the tiny North African town of Tiddis (now in Algeria), describing the life of the second or third son of a local Berber landowner. This boy, who became known as Quintus Lollius Urbicus, left North Africa for Asia, Judea, the Danube, and the lower Rhine, rising steadily through the imperial ranks. Eventually he became governor of Britain, where he led imperial troops into Scotland, expanding the empire's borders. By the end of his life, Quintus had become the city prefect of Rome.15
“GOD'S OWN PEOPLE”
Racism in the modern sense did not exist in Rome. There is little evidence that the Romans saw light skin as superior to dark skin, or vice versa. But lest there be misunderstanding, one point must be made: The Romans were snobs. They did not consider other peoples their equals. On the contrary, the Romans saw themselves as favored by the gods, as “Heaven's representatives among mankind.” They also had an extensive array of largely unflattering stereotypes about the populations they conquered.
Thus, Ireland's inhabitants “were completely savage and led a miserable life because of the cold.” Their neighbors in Scotland, “the unclad Caledonii and Maeatae,” “lived for days on end in marshy bogs, only their heads protruding above the surface, kept alive by a diet of marsh weeds.” At the other extreme, in torrid Africa, the Ethiopians, Numidians, and Mauretanians were small, “wooly-haired,” “shrill-voiced, strong-legged,” and “burnt black by the sun.” The sun drew the blood to their heads, so they were “quick-witted,” but their resulting blood deficiency made them terrified of getting wounded and thus poor warriors.
Africans were also said to be “fickle” and “over-sexed.” Their women were unusually fertile and thus