| I recently attended a national conference that was | | | | cruder troops of their neighbors. And by the middle of |
| themed: Reclaiming and Living out the Values of a Just | | | | the 3rd century BC this small insignificant city called |
| and Caring Society". | | | | Rome controlled nearly all the peninsula. |
| The conference discussed the following values as key | | | | What made Rome so successful were the virtues |
| to building of the world's youth | | | | which they believed. The virtues Romans admired |
| - 1. Integrity and Honesty | | | | were all related to discipline and self discipline. These |
| - 2. Justice | | | | Roman virtues were accepted and recognized by |
| - 3. Respect and Acceptance | | | | every conscious thinking Roman as mos maiorum |
| - 4. Responsibility and Accountability | | | | (ways of the fathers), and characterized their |
| - 5. Industriousness (self worthiness and self-reliance) | | | | disposition, conduct and behavior. |
| - 6. Compassion and Care. | | | | The Romans believed in: |
| But during the conference, as a trained historian, I | | | | Dignitas: "Dignity" A sense of self-worth, personal pride. |
| wondered about the ancient Roman virtues which | | | | Strength that is clothed in dignity. And never in a hurry |
| every Roman embraced during those times. These | | | | about anything, patience and orderliness in carrying |
| virtues made Rome, which was barely insignificant | | | | one's tasks. |
| uncivilized rural market town in a farming community to | | | | Firmitas: "Tenacity" Strength of mind, the ability to stick |
| rise ultimately to become the master of the entire | | | | to one's purpose. "Good people strengthen themselves |
| Mediterranean world. It would prove so successful that | | | | ceaselessly" "I am more than I appear to be, all the |
| its glory and myth would endure more than 2000 | | | | worlds strength & power rests inside me" |
| years even to our modern times. | | | | Frugalitas: "Frugalness" Economy and simplicity of style, |
| The ancient Romans knew exactly what it takes to | | | | without being miserly. |
| succeed. The character traits as displayed by the | | | | Gravitas: "Gravity" A sense of the importance of the |
| ancient Rome are age old traits which we owe our | | | | matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness. Can be |
| attention to them - that we practice them in our daily | | | | translated to mean dignity, but it was taken by the |
| lives. We are living in the modern times where | | | | Romans to mean weightiness. It was this weighty |
| everybody seemed not to care, that the majority of | | | | quality, sober conduct that was enduring amidst great |
| people are driven by short term enjoyments or fun at | | | | difficulties that characterized every sensible Roman, his |
| the expensive of the grandeur scheme of things. | | | | system of government, in fact all things Roman. |
| When I was educated as a historian, I immersed | | | | Enduring strength rather than breaking under pressure, |
| myself in the ancient records and annals about ancient | | | | power and brutal force rather than delicacy. Driven by |
| Rome. Studying these ancient records and annals one | | | | facts not emotions or flimsy imaginations |
| gets the clear impression that there was no much | | | | Honestas: "Respectibility" The image that one presents |
| kidding around with the ancient Romans. They disliked | | | | as a respectable member of society. |
| disorder and luxury (meaning excess). The legend of | | | | Humanitas: "Humanity" Refinement, learning, and being |
| how Rome was founded is a case in point. Romulus | | | | cultured. |
| and Remus were raised by a she-wolf. Remus | | | | Industria: "Industriousness" Hard work. The courage to |
| refused to follow Romulus strict orders to behave | | | | act and the courage to endure - never quit regardless |
| over the sacred boundaries of Rome. Remus jumped | | | | of the circumstances. Understanding that they are |
| over the sacred boundaries as if they did not matter | | | | bigger than circumstances is what gave every Roman |
| and Romulus killed him. The moral of the story is that | | | | the courage to succeed." |
| serious things should not be taken lightly. True virtue | | | | Pietas: "Dutifulness" More than religious piety; a respect |
| subordinates the individual to the state. With this solid | | | | for the natural order socially, politically, and religiously. |
| base of gravitas the Roman Republic was established | | | | Included in these are practical ideas of patriotism and |
| in the 6th century BC. | | | | devotion to others. |
| The Romans were a conservative people, and so | | | | Prudentia: "Prudence" Foresight, wisdom, and personal |
| they wanted strong leaders but not too strong. So the | | | | discretion. Follow Our Life's Mission and Calling, Develop |
| city's wealthy aristocrat, the patricians who | | | | Joyful Thoughts. Sow a character, you reap your |
| monopolized state office elected two of their kind to | | | | destiny. |
| the executive office of consul but only for 1 year. | | | | Salubritas: "Wholesomeness" Health and cleanliness. |
| These consuls had vast powers but they were | | | | "Health is very important part of the whole system of |
| constrained by law and custom as well as the powers | | | | causing immortality and longevity." |
| of the senate, the main legislative branch. Since the | | | | Severitas: "Sternness" Gravity, self-control. |
| consuls after one year will leave the office to sit as | | | | Veritas: "Truthfulness" Honesty in dealing with others. |
| senators for the rest of their lives, it was a foolish | | | | So Rome went on to conquer the entire |
| consul who will ignore or defy the will of the senators. | | | | Mediterranean world and that included North Africa, |
| The Roman soldiers also mirrored this image of hard | | | | that is Carthage Empire (present day Tunisia). But with |
| beaten society. Every soldier provided his own | | | | Carthage it was a close call as Carthage had a great |
| equipment, which meant he had to have a farm or | | | | general by the name of Hannibal. |
| some kind of property so that he could have the | | | | In 218 BC Hannibal set out from Spain to invade Italy. |
| necessary resources to buy a shield, helmet, a sword | | | | He had about 40 000 soldiers and 700 African |
| and spear. If you did not have all these you did not get | | | | elephants. With these African Elephants were meant |
| into the army. So the landless poor did not fight, they | | | | to strike terror in the hearts of Romans. By the time |
| were called the proletarian because their only | | | | Hannibal crossed the Alps however he had less than |
| contribution to the state was their proles (their | | | | half of his soldiers and no elephant. But still Hannibal |
| offspring). They did not pay taxes, and they did not | | | | was so brilliant a general that he weakened Rome. He |
| have a say in how the city was run. | | | | outwitted and outfought them and by 216 BC he was |
| The primary attraction to the army was the spoils of | | | | camping under the walls of Rome itself. |
| war. At the beginning of Roman conquests, the | | | | And when Hannibal called on other Italian cities to join |
| Roman army fought in the phalanx, a tight formation | | | | him against Rome they turned a deaf ear. Rome's |
| without any room for maneuvering. But then they | | | | liberal policy and attachment to them had paid off. |
| switched to smaller self contained units of 120 men | | | | While Hannibal hang around looking for support, the |
| called maniples. Three maniples made a cohort of 360 | | | | Roman fleet cut off his supply and then landed troops |
| men, and ten cohorts made a legion. This was in a | | | | first in Spain then in North Africa near Carthage itself. |
| checker port formation that allowed room for flexibility. | | | | Hannibal was forced to go back home to defend his |
| But they also made great demand of the individual | | | | territory and Rome was saved. |
| soldier and they could only be perfected by strict | | | | And when Carthage foolishly went to war one more |
| training and discipline. These trainings and discipline | | | | time with Rome two centuries later, the Romans |
| proved so superior in discipline and determination to the | | | | obliterated the city of Carthage, literally tearing it down. |