Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Roman peace: A specific historical term referring to the long period of relative peace and stability maintained by the Roman Empire, particularly from approximately 27 BC to 180 AD, across much of its territory. This peace was not a universal absence of conflict but a state of order and security enforced by Roman military and political power.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Pax Romana facilitated extensive trade and cultural exchange throughout the Mediterranean.
  • Historians often credit the Pax Romana with enabling the construction of roads, aqueducts, and other major infrastructure projects.
  • The stability of the Pax Romana was a key factor in the spread of early Christianity.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical and political discourse as a metaphor for a period of peace imposed and maintained by a dominant power.
  • Some scholars argue that the post-Cold War era represented a kind of Pax Americana.

Variants and Related Words

• Pax (n): A Latin word meaning "peace," used in English in terms like "pax" (a call for truce) or in phrases like "pax vobiscum" (peace be with you).
• Pax Americana (n): A modern concept modeled on Pax Romana, referring to a period of relative international order under the influence of the United States.

Synonyms

• Roman Peace: The direct English translation.
• Imperial Peace: A more general term for peace enforced by an empire.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• While not an idiom itself, "Pax Romana" is a classical phrase that has entered English as a fixed historical term. It is sometimes used in broader contexts to imply a peace that comes at the cost of autonomy or through forceful control.
  • The CEO's strict rules created a Pax Romana in the office, but many employees felt stifled.

Noun

1. the Roman peace; the long period of peace enforced on states in the Roman Empire