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Rome developed the Republic, a government system in which officials represent the people in making decisions in government. The Senate was made up of 300 members that served for life, and they were headed by two consuls that served for . In times of war, they would elect a dictator for six months. Today, the United States has utilized parts of the Roman system. We even have our own Senate.

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Rome's military conquered many places and defeated many enemies. Perhaps the most famous was the Punic Wars against Carthage with their general, Hannibal. They also built hundreds of miles of roads to connect the empire. This encouraged trade throughout the empire.

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Rome adapted their religion from the Greeks, the Etruscans, and other peoples. They followed their polytheistic religion with gods like Juno, Jupiter, and Apollo. They built temples to the gods such as the Pantheon. However, Christianity was popularized when Emperor Constantine stopped oppressing Christians.

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Rome's principle of "bread and circuses" (keeping the citizens fed and entertained) led to the Colosseum and other gladiator arenas, as well as racing such as the Circus Maximus. Today, Romans are known for their violent sports.

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The Roman Empire stretched 3 million square miles and housed about 70 million people. The city of Rome alone was home to over 1 million people.

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The Romans were known for their use of arches in their buildings. Today, we continue to use arches for their sturdy design.