Explanation: Romans placed a relatively high value on the idea of bellum iustum - ‘justified war’, rather than just conquering their enemies to hear the lamentations of their women and all that jazz. On one hand, this is a very good and civilized thing, to demand of oneself justification for acts of violence, a step, however small, in the right direction.
On the other hand, as the Romans were a very warlike people, this meant that Rome was generally eager to pounce on any slight that could give them a justification for intervening and putting yet another province under their heel. Raid a ‘friend of Rome’? Full-scale war. Mistreat a Roman citizen? Full-scale war. Technical violation of some minor clause of the last peace treaty you signed? Oh, you better believe that’s full-scale war.
hear the lamentations of their women and all that jazz
I’m now imagining some Roman officers relaxing in a dark room, drinking some recently acquired wine, and listening to the lamentations of the spouses of the conquered like it was a new Duke Ellington release in the 50s.
With backing vocals by ‘Some Gallic wenches who are sad about people dying or something weak and womanly like that idk’
