was a gradual process of Cultural Assimilation , in which the conquered " Barbarians " (non- Greco-Roman s) gradually adopted and largely replaced their own native culture (which in many cases were quite developed, like the culture of the Gaul s or Carthage ) with the culture of their conquerors - the Romans. The acculturation proceeded from the top down, the upper classes adopting Roman culture first and the old ways lingering longest in outlying districts among peasants; the identification of countryfolk as ''pagani'' is discussed at Pagan .
It was a slow and gradual process, taking several decades.
First, it began with the military conquest itself. Many times the Romans were invited by local Ruler s, who either:
- A) had been expelled by rivals from inside the tribe or city-state and wanted to return home and to their position.
- B) were being conquered by another tribe and subjugated themselves to Rome , as long Roman troops came to "save" them.
- C) left their kingdoms to Rome by will (for example Attalus III of Pergamon ).
- other times the Romans did not have such "excuses" and began a conquest because of internal reasons or because they simply wanted to expand their empire.
After the conquest:
- many warriors of the defeated and hostile enemy would be dead and others would be sold as Slaves .
- any tribal chieftain or local city-ruler who was friendly and cooperated with Rome was reaffirmed in his position and was rewarded with land and loot from a defeated hostile tribe or hostile state.
- the local nobility was many times rewarded with Roman Citizenship and simple bribes in a (largely successful) attempt to gain their loyalty.
- a series of military outposts were built.
- some Roman Legion s were stationed in strategic positions.
- roads would also be built, linking the nascent Military Colonies to each other, to the frontiers and to Rome.
- these roads had the triple effect of:
- ---A) facilitating any movement of the Roman legions.
- ---B) facilitating communications.
- ---C) reinforcing the transport of people, goods and ideas (in effect Trade ).
- in due time, several Roman Veteran s would be discharged and were rewarded with previously confiscated patches of land in the local area.
- these veterans would either:
- ---A) bring their sweetheart from "back home".
- ---B) Marry a native girl, thereby intermarrying with the local population.
- meanwhile, local Warrior s would enlist in the Roman military as Auxilia (somewhat similar to the modern French Foreign Legion ) and at the end of their military service would also be rewarded with Roman citizenship. During their service they would certainly learn Latin and adopt, to a certain extent, Roman culture.
- the local rulers and the local nobility would "improve" their property (e.g. their house), "themselves" and more importantly, their children following Roman fashions, ideals and traditions. They would go to a local Roman School in a nearby Roman colony or, dependent on their wealth, have a Greek and/or a Roman tutor(s) who would give them Roman education and also impart them with Roman culture.
- Roman Temple s would be built and many local gods were assimilated with corresponding Roman Gods , others survived and "conquered" the Romans themselves. This process was greatly facilitated by the ready adoption of the "native" gods by the Romans. One has to remember that most of cultures in that time were Polytheists (worshipers of many gods). A proverbial Roman might not worship a Egyptian god like Amun (the proverbial Egyptian would) he would worship Jupiter (the Egyptian wouldn't), but he would readily '''accept and believe in the existence of Amun (vice-versa for the Egyptian).
- ---in a latter stage of the Roman Empire some of these temples were dedicated to the Divine Emperor . There, loyal citizens would worship the reigning emperor and show their respect to past emperors in a display of loyalty to the Roman Empire and the Emperor, in a fashion very roughly similar to the modern Oath Of Allegiance .
all this slowly culminated in many gradual cultural developments:
- adoption of Roman Name s.
- gradual adoption of the Latin language. This process was greatly facilitated by the simple fact that many cultures were mostly illiterate (particularly the Gaul s and Iberians ) and anyone who wanted to deal (through writing) with the bureaucracy or with the roman market was forced to write in Latin. The extent of this "adoption" is subject to on-going debate, as the native tongues were certainly spoken after any conquest. Moreover, in the eastern half of the empire, Latin had to compete with 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 Berytus .
- replacement of the ancient tribal laws by Roman Law , with its institutions of property rights.
- the dissemination of typically Roman institutions such as Public Baths , the Emperor cult and Gladiator Fights .
In due time, the conquered would see themselves as Romans.
This process was supported by the Roman Republic and by its successor the Roman Empire .
The entire process was facilitated by the fact that many of the local languages had the same Indo-European origin and by the similarity of the gods of many ancient cultures. They also already had had trade relations and contacts with each other through the seafaring Mediterranean cultures like the Phoenicians and the Greeks .
- "The Complete Roman Army" written by Adrian Goldsworthy published by Thames & Hudson ISBN 0-500-05124-0
- Francisco Marco Simón, "Religion and Religious Practices of the Ancient Celts of the Iberian Peninsula" in ''e-Keltoi: The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula'', 287-345 ( on-line ) '' Interpretatio '' and the Romanization of Celtic deities.
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