View source for Social:Romanization (cultural)

{{Short description|Cultural assimilation of peripheral populations by the Roman Republic/Empire}}

'''Romanization''' or '''Latinization''' (or '''Romanisation''' or '''Latinisation'''), in the historical and cultural meanings of both terms, indicate different historical processes, such as [[Social:Acculturation|acculturation]], [[Social:Social integration|integration]] and [[Social:Cultural assimilation|assimilation]] of newly incorporated and peripheral populations by the Roman Republic and the later Roman Empire.
Ancient Roman [[History:Historiography|historiography]] and Italian [[History:Historiography|historiography]] until the fascist period used to call the various processes the "civilizing of barbarians".

==Characteristics==
[[File:Roman Empire Trajan 117AD.png|thumb|upright=1.5|The Roman Empire at its greatest extent]]
[[Social:Acculturation|Acculturation]] proceeded from the top down, with the upper classes adopting Roman culture first and the old ways lingering for the longest among peasants in outlying countryside and rural areas.<ref>The identification of countryfolk as ''pagani'' is discussed at [[Religion:Paganism|paganism]].</ref> Hostages played an important part in this process, as elite children, from [[History:Mauretania|Mauretania]] to [[Place:Gaul|Gaul]], were taken to be raised and educated in Rome.<ref>Leonard A. Curchin, ''The Romanization of Central Spain: complexity, diversity, and change in a Provincial Hintellrfreshsrland'', 2004, p. 130.</ref>

Ancient Roman [[History:Historiography|historiography]] and traditional Italian [[History:Historiography|historiography]] confidently identified the different processes involved with a "[[Social:Civilization|civilization]] of barbarians". Modern historians take a more nuanced view: by making their peace with Rome, local elites could make their position more secure and reinforce their prestige. New themes include the study of personal and group values and the construction of identity, which is the personal aspect of [[Social:Ethnogenesis|ethnogenesis]]. The transitions operated differently in different provinces; as Blagg and Millett point out<ref>T. F. C. Blagg and M. Millett, eds., ''The Early Roman Empire in the West'' 1999, p. 43.</ref> even a [[Place:Roman province|Roman province]] may be too broad a canvas to generalize.

One characteristic of cultural Romanization was the creation of many hundreds of Roman coloniae in the territory of the Roman Republic and the subsequent Roman Empire. Until Trajan, colonies were created by using retired veteran soldiers, mainly from the Italian peninsula, who promoted Roman customs and laws, with the use of [[Social:Latin|Latin]].

{{Quote|''About 400 towns (of the Roman Empire) are known to have possessed the rank of colonia. During the empire, colonies were showcases of Roman culture and examples of the Roman way of life. The native population of the provinces could see how they were expected to live. Because of this function, the promotion of a town to the status of "Colonia civium Romanorum" implied that all citizens received full citizen rights and dedicated a temple to the Capitoline triad: Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, the deities venerated in the temple of Jupiter Best and Biggest on the Capitol in Rome.'' Livius<ref>[https://www.livius.org/concept/colonia/ Coloniae]</ref>}}

It has been estimated that at the beginning of the empire, about 750,000 Italians lived in the provinces.<ref>Scheidel, "Demography", 49&ndash;50, 64, 64 n. 114, citing P. A. Brunt, ''Italian Manpower 225 B.C.–A.D. 14'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987), 263.</ref> Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony and Octavian settled many of their veterans in colonies: in Italy, and the provinces. The colonies that were established in Italy until 14 BCE have been studied by Keppie (1983). In his account of the achievements of his long reign, ''Res Gestae Divi Augusti'', Augustus stated that he had settled 120,000 soldiers in twenty colonies in Italy in 31 BCE, then 100,000 men in colonies in Spain and southern Gaul in 14 BCE, followed by another 96,000 in 2 BCE.<ref>Pat Southern - The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History (2006/Oxford Uni.)</ref> Brian Campbell also states "From 49 to 32 BCE about 420,000 Italians were recruited", which would thus be the veteran (citizen) stock that was largely sent to the provinces (colonies) during Augustus. The Lex Calpurnia, however, also allowed citizenship to be granted for distinguished bravery. For example, the 1,000 socii from Camerinum after Vercellae 101 BCE (Plutarch Mar. XXXVIII) and the auxiliary (later Legio XXII Deiotariana) after Zela, got Roman citizenship. By the time of Augustus, the legions consisted mostly of ethnic Latins/Italics and Cisalpine Gauls.<ref>B. Campbell The Roman Army, 31 BC–AD 337 p.9</ref>

However, Romanization did not always result in the extinction of all aspects of native cultures even when there was extensive acculturation. Many non-Latin provincial languages survived the entire period while sustaining considerable Latin influence, including the ancestor languages of Welsh, [[Social:Albanian language|Albanian]], [[Biography:Basque language|Basque]] and Berber. Where there was language replacement, in some cases, such as Italy, it took place in the early imperial stage, while in others, native languages only totally succumbed to Latin ''after'' the fall of the Empire, as was likely the case with Gaulish. The [[Social:Gaulish language|Gaulish language]] is thought to have survived into the 6th century in France, despite considerable Romanization of the local material culture.<ref name=Helix>{{cite book|author=Laurence Hélix| title=Histoire de la langue française|isbn=978-2-7298-6470-5|publisher=Ellipses Edition Marketing S.A.|page=7|quote=Le déclin du Gaulois et sa disparition ne s'expliquent pas seulement par des pratiques culturelles spécifiques: Lorsque les Romains conduits par César envahirent la Gaule, au 1er siecle avant J.-C., celle-ci romanisa de manière progressive et profonde. Pendant près de 500 ans, la fameuse période gallo-romaine, le gaulois et le latin parlé coexistèrent; au VIe siècle encore; le temoignage de Grégoire de Tours atteste la survivance de la langue gauloise.| year=2011}}</ref> The last record of spoken Gaulish deemed to be plausibly credible<ref name=Helix/> was when Gregory of Tours wrote in the 6th century (c. 560-575) that a shrine in Auvergne which "is called Vasso Galatae in the Gallic tongue" was destroyed and burnt to the ground.<ref>''Hist. Franc.'', book I, 32 ''Veniens vero Arvernos, delubrum illud, quod Gallica lingua Vasso Galatæ vocant, incendit, diruit, atque subvertit.'' And coming to Clermont [to the Arverni] he set on fire, overthrew and destroyed that shrine which they call Vasso Galatæ in the Gallic tongue.</ref> Coexisting with Latin, Gaulish helped shape the Vulgar Latin dialects that developed into French, with effects including loanwords and [[Social:Calque|calque]]s (including ''oui'',<ref name=Matas/> the word for "yes"),<ref name=Savignac/><ref name=Matas/> sound changes,<ref>Henri Guiter, "Sur le substrat gaulois dans la Romania", in ''Munus amicitae. Studia linguistica in honorem Witoldi Manczak septuagenarii'', eds., Anna Bochnakowa & Stanislan Widlak, Krakow, 1995.</ref><ref>Eugeen Roegiest, ''Vers les sources des langues romanes: Un itinéraire linguistique à travers la Romania'' (Leuven, Belgium: Acco, 2006), 83.</ref> and influences in conjugation and word order.<ref name=Savignac>{{cite book|author=Savignac, Jean-Paul|year=2004|page=26|title=Dictionnaire Français-Gaulois|location=Paris|publisher=La Différence}}</ref><ref name=Matas>{{cite journal|author=Matasovic, Ranko|year=2007|title=Insular Celtic as a Language Area|agency=The Celtic Languages in Contact|journal=Papers from the Workship within the Framework of the XIII International Congress of Celtic Studies|page=106}}</ref><ref name=Adams>{{cite book|author=Adams, J. N.|date=2007|title=The Regional Diversification of Latin 200 BC – AD 600|url=https://archive.org/details/regionaldiversif600adam|url-access=limited|chapter= Chapter V -- Regionalisms in provincial texts: Gaul|page=[https://archive.org/details/regionaldiversif600adam/page/n300 279]–289|location=Cambridge|doi=10.1017/CBO9780511482977|isbn=9780511482977}}</ref>

==Process==
All that led to many gradual developments.

The very existence is a source of contention among modern archaeologists.<ref>Mattingly, D. J., 2004, "Being Roman: Expressing Identity in a provincial setting", ''Journal of Roman Archaeology'' Vol. 17, pp 5–26</ref> One of the first approaches, which now can be regarded as the "traditional" approach, was taken by Francis Haverfield.<ref>Haverfield, F., 1912, ''The Romanization of Roman Britain'', Oxford: Claredon Press</ref> He saw this process beginning in primarily post-conquest societies (such as {{wipe|United Kingdom}} and [[Place:Gaul|Gaul]]), where direct Roman policy from the top promoted an increase in the Roman population of the province through the establishment of veteran colonies.<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor = 1086829|title = Roman Colonization|journal = Phoenix|volume = 6|issue = 4|pages = 139–146|last1 = MacKendrick|first1 = P. L|doi = 10.2307/1086829|year = 1952}}</ref> The ''coloniae'' would have spoken [[Social:Latin|Latin]] and been citizens of Rome following their army tenure (See Roman citizenship). Haverfield thus assumes this would have a Romanising effect upon the native communities.

This thought process, fueled though it was by early 20th century standards of [[Social:Imperialism|imperialism]] and cultural change, forms the basis for the modern understanding of Romanization. However, recent scholarship has devoted itself to providing alternate models of how native populations adopted Roman culture and has questioned the extent to which it was accepted or resisted.

#'''Non-interventionist''' model<ref>Millet, M., 1990, "Romanization: historical issues and archaeological interpretation", in Blagg, T. and Millett, M. (Eds.), ''The Early Roman Empire in the West'', Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 35–44</ref> – Native elites were encouraged to increase social standing through association with the powerful conqueror be it in dress, language, housing and food consumption. That provides them with associated power. The establishment of a civil administration system is quickly imposed to solidify the permanence of Roman rule.
#'''Discrepant identity'''<ref>Mattingly, D. J., 2004, "Being Roman: Expressing Identity in a provincial setting", ''Journal of Roman Archaeology'' Vol. 17, pp. 13</ref> – No uniformity of identity that can accurately be described as traditional Romanization. Fundamental differences within a province are visible through economics, religion and identity. Not all provincials supported Rome and not all elites wanted to be like the Roman upper classes.
#'''Acculturation'''<ref>Webster, J., 1997 "Necessary Comparisons: A Post-Colonial Approach to Religious Syncretism in the Roman Provinces", ''World Archaeology'' Vol 28 No 3, pp. 324–338</ref> – Aspects of both Native and Roman cultures are joined together., as can be seen in the Roman acceptance, and adoption of, non-[[History:Classical antiquity|Classical]] religious practices. The inclusion of [[Biology:Isis|Isis]], Epona, Britannia and Dolichenus into the pantheon are evidence.
#'''Creolization'''<ref>Webster, J., 2001, "Creolizing the Roman Provinces", ''American Journal of Archaeology'' Vol 105 No. 2, pp. 209–225,</ref> – Romanization occurs as a result of negotiation between different elements of non-egalitarian societies and so material culture is ambiguous.

==Legacy==
[[File:Latin Europe.png|thumb|400px|right|Romance languages in Europe]]
Roman names were adopted.

The Latin language was spread, which was greatly facilitated by the fact that many cultures were mostly oral (particularly for the [[Place:Gaul|Gaul]]s and Iberians). Anyone who wanted to deal (through writing) with the bureaucracy and/or with the Roman market had to write in Latin. The extent of the adoption is subject to ongoing debate, as the native languages were certainly spoken after the conquests. Moreover, in the eastern half of the Empire, Latin had to compete with [[Social:Koine Greek|Greek]], which largely kept its position as lingua franca and even spread to new areas. Latin became prominent in certain areas around new veteran colonies like [[Place:Beirut|Berytus]].

The ancient tribal laws were replaced by Roman law, with its institutions of property rights.

Typically-Roman institutions, such as public baths, the imperial cult and gladiator fights, were adopted.

Gradually, the conquered would see themselves as Romans. The process was supported by the Roman Republic and then by the Roman Empire.

The entire process was facilitated by the [[Social:Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] origin of most of the languages and by the similarity of the gods of many ancient cultures. They also already had had trade relations and contacts with one another through the seafaring Mediterranean cultures like the Phoenicians and the {{wipe|Ancient Greece}}.

Romanization was largely effective in the western half of the empire, where native civilizations were weaker. In the Hellenized east, ancient civilizations like those of Ancient Egypt, [[Earth:Anatolia|Anatolia]], The Balkans, Judea and [[Place:Syria|Syria]], effectively resisted all but its most superficial effects. When the Empire was divided, the east, with mainly Greek culture, was marked by the increasing strength of specifically Greek culture and language to the detriment of the Latin language and other Romanizing influences, but its citizens continued to regard themselves as Romans.

While Britain certainly was Romanized, its approximation to the Roman culture seems to have been smaller than that of Gaul. The most romanized regions, as demonstrated by Dott. Bernward Tewes and Barbara Woitas of the computing center of the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, were Italy, the [[Place:Iberian Peninsula|Iberian Peninsula]], [[Place:Gaul|Gaul]], southern Germany and Dalmatia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://db.edcs.eu/epigr/epimap.html|title=Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss Slaby EDCS, unter Mitarbeit von Anne Kolb}}</ref>

Romanization in most of those regions remains such a powerful cultural influence in most aspects of life today that they are described as "Latin countries" and "Latin American countries". That is most evident in European countries in which Romance languages are spoken and former colonies that have inherited the languages and other Roman influences. According to Theodor Mommsen, cultural Romanisation was more complete in those areas that developed a "neolatin language" (like Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian). The same process later developed in the recent centuries' colonial empires.

==See also==
*Italic peoples
*[[Social:Latinisation of names|Latinization of names]]
*Roman citizenship
*Romanitas
*Latin Rights
*Romance languages
*Romanization of Hispania
*Illyro-Roman
*Thraco-Roman
*Gallo-Roman
*Daco-Roman
*Romano-British culture
* List of cities founded by the Romans
*Spread of the Latin script
*Historiography of Romanization

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book |title=The Complete Roman Army |author=Adrian Goldsworthy |publisher=Thames & Hudson |isbn=978-0-500-05124-5|year=2003 |}}
*Francisco Marco Simón, "Religion and Religious Practices of the Ancient Celts of the Iberian Peninsula" in ''e-Keltoi: The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula'', '''6''' 287–345 ([http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol6/6_6/marco_simon_6_6.html online]) ''Interpretatio'' and the Romanization of Celtic deities.
*Mommsen, Theodore. ''The Provinces of the Roman Empire'' Barnes & Noble (re-edition). New York, 2004
*Susanne Pilhofer: "Romanisierung in Kilikien? Das Zeugnis der Inschriften" (''Quellen und Forschungen zur Antiken Welt'' 46), Munich 2006.

==External links==
*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3097515/ Redfern, Rebecca and DeWitte, Sharon N., "A new approach to the study of Romanization in Britain: A regional perspective of cultural change in late Iron Age and Roman Dorset using the Siler and Gompertz–Makeham models of mortality", ''American Journal of Physical Anthropology'', Volume 144, Issue 2, pages 269–285, February 2011]

{{Western culture}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romanization}}

[[Category:Cultural assimilation]]

{{Sourceattribution|Romanization (cultural)|1}}