There were many consequences of Roman Imperialism, which affected both the Romans and conquered peoples, positively and negatively. Although the Romans gained a variety of resources from new lands, they also had to deal with the problem of controlling a vast empire, which made it difficult to govern effectively. People of conquered lands were heavily taxed, but they also received protection from the Roman military, as their land was now Roman land.
One of the primary concerns of the Romans was the ever-extending size of their empire. It was certainly a difficult job for the central government to control the whole empire. When power was distributed among governors, civil wars between provinces erupted, and conflict throughout the empire increased. Rulers' desire for power increased, and many used money for themselves instead of their people. Food shortages, epidemics, revolts, internal conflicts, and wars resulted in a gradual decrease of population. While there were many internal problems of the Empire, Rome had also made many enemies, namely barbaric tribes, in due course of conquering lands.
Map of the "barbarian" invasions of the Roman Empi...
The territorial development of the Roman state.
English: Français:The Goths, Huns, Vandals, Franks, and many other tribes attacked the Roman Empire from all sides, thus weakening its military, unity, and strength over a period of time. Another major and troubling outcome of Roman Imperialism was the fate of farmers in Rome. As cheap labor and slaves were abundant in Roman provinces, many farmers in Rome lost their business, because provincial farmers were able to sell crops at cheaper prices and still earn profits. These unfortunate men headed for the city in search of jobs, but most could not find any, and thus were left unemployed. However, although Roman Imperialism proved to have many flaws it its functioning, it also held many advantages for the great Roman Empire.
As Rome's power and influence spread across...