Rome

No one can say exactly when globalization began, but most social scientists agree that processes of globalization have been going on for centuries. Roland Robertson, one of the most influential thinkers on globalization, emphasises the historical importance. He traces the existence of globalization back to the ancient world of the Romans.

Not only did the Roman emperor exchange goods and ideas between many different ethnic groups, but also began the construction of concrete roads which connected all the parts of the Empire with Rome. The Romans even constructed numerous aqueducts to supply water to cities and industrial sites, as well as to assist in agriculture. This created and maintained the exchange of goods and ideas throughout the empire.

Rome was even called the ‘emporium of the world.’ The early Roman state was founded in 509 B.C. after the Romans drove out the Etruscan king. By this time Rome had already grown from a cluster of small villages to a small city. This was the beginning of one of the greatest and largest empires ever known. After Rome established itself, they were determined to never again be ruled by a monarch and setup a new republic. Between 509 B.C. and 133 B.C, Rome adapted the government to fit the need of the people it served. It also developed the military power to not only conqueror Italy, but also the entire Mediterranean world.

The Romans understood the interconnected nature of the known world. Like global cities of today, Rome contained peoples from all over the world. By the first century AD Rome had trade links with China, India, and Malaysia. Robertson said, the Roman historian Polybius saw that by conquering vast portions of the world, Rome had created complex interrelations