The Old Roman World : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization.

We have contemplated the grandeur and the glory of the Roman empire; and we have also seen, in connection with the magnificent triumphs of art, science, literature, and philosop...

One of the features of Roman greatness, which preeminently arrests attention, is military genius and strength. The Romans surpassed all the nations of antiquity in the brillianc...

In my enumeration of the external glories of the Roman world, I only attempted to glance at those wonders which were calculated to strike a traveler with admiration. Among these...

We have now surveyed all that was glorious in the most splendid empire of antiquity. We have seen a civilization which, in many respects, rivals all that modern nations have to...

Whatever may be said of the inferiority of the ancients to the moderns in natural and mechanical science, which no one is disposed to question, or even in the realm of literatur...

If the ancient civilization rivaled the modern in the realm of _art_, it was equally remarkable in the field of letters. It is not my object to show that it was equal, or superi...

It is a most interesting inquiry why art, literature, science, philosophy, and political organizations, and other trophies of the unaided reason of man, did not prevent so mourn...

If the Romans showed great practical sagacity in distributing political power among different classes and persons, their laws evince still greater wisdom. Jurisprudence is gener...

The great capital of the ancient world had a very humble beginning, and that is involved in myth and mystery. Even the Latin stock, inhabiting the country from the Tiber to the...

One of the most interesting inquiries which is suggested by history is, Why Christianity did not prevent the glory of the old civilization from being succeeded by shame? This is...

It would be absurd to claim for the ancients any great attainments in science, such as they made in the field of letters or the realm of art. It is in science, especially when a...

It is not from a survey of the material grandeur, or the arts, or the military prowess of Rome that we get the highest idea of her civilization. These indicate strength and even...

It is my object in this chapter to show the great Christian ideas which the fathers promulgated, and which have proved of so great influence on the Middle Ages and our own civil...

To the eye of an ancient traveler there must have been something very grand and impressive in the external aspects of wealth and power which the Roman Empire, in the period of i...

The great Ideas which the Fathers propounded--The Principle of Self- sacrifice, seen especially in early Martyrdoms--The Idea of Benevolence in connection with public and privat...

The Victories of Christianity came too late--Small Number of Converts when Christianity was a renovating Power--Their comparative Unimportance in a political and social View for...

False Security of the Roman People--Their stupendous Delusions--The Invasion of Barbarians--Their Characteristics--Their alternate Victory and Defeat--Desolation of the Province...

The Original Citizens--Comitia Calata--Comitia Curiata--Comitia Centuriata--Comitia Tributa--The Plebs--Great Patrician Families--The Aristocratic Structure of ancient Roman Soc...

Early History of Rome--Wars under the Kings--Their Results--Gradual Subjection of Italy--Great Heroes of the Republic--Their Virtues and Victories--Military Aggrandizement--The...

Necessary Corruption of all Institutions under Paganism--Glory succeeded by Shame--The Army a worn-out Mechanism--The low Aims of Government-- Difficulties of the Emperors--Laws...

Genius of the Romans for Government and Laws--Development of Jurisprudence--Legislative Sources--Judicial Power--Courts of Law--The Profession of Law--Great Lawyers and Jurists-...

The Vices and Miseries of Roman Society--Social Inequalities-- Disproportionate Fortunes--The Wealth and Corruption of Nobles-- Degradation of the People--Vast Extent of Slavery...

Original Settlement--The Seven Hills--Progress of the City--Principal Architectural Monuments--A Description of the Temples, Bridges, Aqueducts, Forums, Basilicas, Palaces, Amph...

The great Wonders of Ancient Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting-- Famous Artists of Antiquity--How far the Romans copied the Greeks--How far they extended Art--Its Principles...

The Mathematical Genius of the Old Astronomers--Their Labors and Discoveries--Extent of Astronomical Knowledge--The Alexandrian School-- The Science of Geometry and how far carr...

Its gradual Development from Thales to Aristotle--How far the Romans adopted the Greek Philosophy--What Additions they made to it--How far it modified Roman Thought and Life--In...

The Grecian Models--How far they contributed to Roman Creations--The Development of the Latin Language--The Orators, Poets, Dramatists, Satirists, Historians, and their chief Wo...