Rome wisely left self-government to all the dependent and allied states,
while she secured her sovereignty by three rights which she reserved to
herself: (1) She alone made peace or declared war; (2) She alone might
receive embassies; (3) She alone might coin money. Altogether it was an
admirable system, vastly superior to the loosely related Grecian
states. It was a system that made possible for the first time in the
world’s history a great, as well as a free, nation.
It is a striking fact that there was not yet even a dawning Roman
literature; in art, science, philosophy, Rome had done--absolutely
nothing. But, in fact, it was in the art of governing mankind that Roman
genius was to appear; and it was this that showed itself in these early
years,--it was their valor, their probity, their patriotism, their
political tact, and not speculation or literary culture, that
distinguished them.