The Romans are always going to have a hold on our collective consciousness because we're living in a post-Roman society.

Roman history is conventionally divided into three periods: the monarchy (753-509 BC), the Republic (509-27 BC), and the Empire (27 BC-5th century AD).

The Roman military was a massive force of half a million people, integrating foreigners and turning them into Romans over time.

The question of when the Roman Empire fell is complex, with various dates proposed, including 476 AD when Romulus Augustulus was deposed, but the Eastern Empire continued to exist long after.

Augustus, as the first emperor of Rome, established a political system that would influence countless later empires and shape global history. He oversees the transition from the Roman Republic to the Empire, setting a template that future emperors follow for the next 500 to 1500 years, as they all aspire to be like him, adopting his titles such as 'Caesar Augustus' and 'Imperator'.

The high point of the Roman Empire is often marked by the period of the five good emperors, who ruled wisely and promoted stability, contrasting with the chaotic succession that followed.

The Roman Empire lasted longer than Alexander's because it established a structured system of governance and integration of conquered peoples, unlike Alexander's empire, which fragmented after his death.

Most cultures and nations in the West have roots in Roman history or at least a phase in their own history that is the Roman period.

Before Exa, I was writing a history book, driven by my excitement about world history and the desire to share that knowledge.