Final answer:
The Romans had a profound impact on the Iberian Peninsula, bringing infrastructure, governance, cultural influences, and the foundations of Romance languages. They built an extensive network of roads, aqueducts, and other facilities, and introduced their approach to public government, which influenced the development of Western civilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roman Contributions to the Iberian Peninsula
When the Romans came to the Iberian Peninsula from about 150 B.C.E to 475 C.E., they brought a breadth of cultural, architectural, and administrative influences. The Roman Empire introduced significant developments such as infrastructure by constructing roads, bridges, aqueducts, and port facilities, significantly impacting trade and communication across Europe. Their administration strategies were advanced, focusing on leveraging local resources and encouraging skilled artisans. Moreover, the Roman influence permeated through the introduction of Latin, which laid the foundation for the Romance languages: Spanish and Portuguese. The combination of Roman governance, engineering prowess, and cultural transmission played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Iberian Peninsula.
The blend of Greek and Roman cultures under the Roman Republic contributed to the foundations of Western civilization. Roman governance strategies, such as offering citizenship and military support to the Latin League, expanded Rome's influence and might. In the Iberian Peninsula particularly, Romans also built large estates and towns and patrolled borders effectively using the dromedary camel.
The res publica was one the Roman ideas that emphasized government by the public and for the public, differing from previous oligarchical and monarchical rule. After the decline of the Roman Empire, pieces of Roman engineering and architecture remained as legacies that attest to their period of rule, despite later sackings and foreign influences.