The Roman Empire had a very complex structure. It consisted in fact of three interconnected essential elements, each representing an instrument of the power. There was first of all, the central administration, then the provincial administration and finally, the army. This last one was strong and powerful. It was moreover often described as the first modern professional army, which was characterized by a precise organization, strict training and specialized structures. Thus, the army proved itself indispensable for the preservation of an Empire. It was indeed the army that assured its security and was, at the same time, the guarantor for the tenure of the power of the Emperor. But, considering its very important strength and a certain shape of independence, the army had also a sizable impact, in the social, economic, cultural and political domains of provinces. It was involved in their everyday life, not only as a visible presence, but especially as a representation of the Roman imperial power on cities and villages. So, how the Roman army had influenced and governed provinces and communities of the empire?
[...] The army, following the changes of the emperor Augustus also played a bigger political role in the Roman Empire, mainly in provinces and communities. This emperor was, in fact, obliged to cope with realities of this new professional army, and thus had to develop the administrative infrastructure to control this creation. He evolved also the political organization in provinces in which the army had to work. And by this way, the army was perceived as a powerful instrument of political control in provinces. [...]
[...] ) At strategic points in the provinces were placed allied ships, squadrons of cavalry and cohorts of auxiliaries, more or less equivalent to the legions in strength ยป.[1]Thanks to this extract, we can see that the Roman Empire possessed a navy, an army of legionaries and auxiliaries situated on frontiers and finally troops near Rome. The army was also better formed and qualified. All these measures were been organized to protect at best, the security of the empire. It is finally important to see that the army was from now on, centralized in provinces. [...]
[...] Firstly, it was the fact that the army was the first headspring of the expenditure of the Empire, and at last, the fact that many incomes were spent in the support of this one. The soldiers were a major link in the production and consumption line of the Roman Empire. Their salaries, often judged as very important were relative with the status of the soldiers. But salaries were not the only spring s of army's income. In certain periods, indeed, the emperor could also make exceptional distribution (money, clothes, equipments). [...]
[...] Campbell said it, Roman army was the largest single institution in the Roman Empire.”[3] It is necessary to know all the same that the army has of to act differently to answer the geographic and political differences of provinces. So, the troops had a sufficient strength for representing the Roman power in the smallest of military communities.4 Moreover, little by little, the emperor counted more and more on his troops and fewer and fewer on senatorial aristocracy of the Empire. [...]
[...] So, the army played an important role in the economic development of certain provinces and communities. The army influenced also much the society of nearby provinces and communities. It played so, a role in the culture and the spirituality of these. But, all the historians do not nevertheless share this opinion. There were in reality, two major phenomenons largely associated to the army, according to the historian Yves Le Bohec.[2] First of all, Provinces knew a Romanization. The army could indeed, to be considered as a " machine to form citizens. [...]
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