Roman Empire

Definition

The Roman Empire was an ancient political and social structure that emerged from the Roman Republic after 27 BC, embodying a complex system of governance, law, and military conquest that expanded over Europe, Africa, and Asia until its decline around the 5th century AD. It played a crucial role in the development of Western legal and political traditions, including concepts of citizenship, legal rights, and the administration of justice.

Related terms

Social Contract:

A philosophical concept suggesting that individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate (or to the decision of a majority), in exchange for protection of their remaining rights.

Citizenship:

A status granted by a state to its members which entails specific rights (such as voting and work) and duties (such as paying taxes and obeying laws), historically refined under Roman law to define members' relationship to the state.

Legal Rights: Entitlements granted by legal systems that allow individuals to perform certain actions or are owed certain obligations by others; these concepts were significantly developed during the Roman era through laws such as the Twelve Tables