Main features of Roman civilization are the following :
1. Social life: The society of Rome was divided into two classes (a) Patrician and (b) Plebian. The Patrician were considered to be the upper class in which rich people and landlords were included. They had the full power of the Senate in their hand. The members of the Plebian community included small farmers, artisans, small traders and warriors.
2. Code of laws: The code of laws was prepared and these laws were written on wooden planks. They were called the laws of twelve tablets. This made most of the people aware of their legal rights and it became difficult for government employees to break the law. Later the Roman law was developed in three branches : (a) Civil Law (b) Public Law (c) Natural Law.
3. Economic life: People of Roman civilization engaged in agriculture. Different kinds of crops were cultivated. Irrigation was done by canals. Besides agriculture, animal husbandry was also practised. Bullocks and cows were mainly kept. People used to make their clothes from flax and wool and used clay and wooden utensils.
4. Religious life: Every Roman family worshipped the goddess of hearth ‘Vesta’, because the Romans believed that it protected the house. Like the inhabitants of Greece, the inhabitants of Rome also used to worship gods-goddesses. According to them Jupiter brings rains for their crops, Mars helps them in war, Juno protects their women and Mercury protects them from diseases.
5. Language, philosophy and literature : People of Roman civilization developed their alphabet and adopted Latin language. The Latin language became the language of all educated people of western Europe. The Romans accepted Greek philosophy.
Literature also flourished (developed) in Rome’s civilization. There was a lot of progress in the field of poetry. In the poems of Horace, the combined philosophy of epicureanism and stoic ideology is found.
6. Art: There was considerable progress in the field of art in Roman civilization. Residents of Rome were skilled craftsmen. They made two important improvements in architecture by creating dots and dome. Dots were used in the making of gates, bridges, large buildings and monuments of the city. The roof of the building was similar to a reverse bowl of a dome. Sculpture also flourished in this civilization. Residents of Rome also developed the art of making wall painting.
7. Knowledge and Science: In the public services in Rome it was arranged to supply free medicines to the poor patients first. They created the ephemerisa (calendar) which is still followed in all the countries with a slight change.
