Islam and Rome, A Tale of Two Worlds

The Islamic and Roman worlds, two far away worlds, are full of interesting facts. The two, both similar, utilized many techniques that made life easier. On the other hand, different strategies and items made these worlds completely different. The Islamic and Roman worlds were different technologically, but they were similar in social-cultural and environmental ways.


First of all, both Islam and Rome were similar culturally. They both had a religion, Islam for the Islamic people, and Christianity for the Romans. Both of these religions focused on one god, either God, or Allah (the Islamic god). Under this, each religion had its own prophet. Muhammad and Jesus spread their religions, respectively, to others. This shows that religion was very important for building large civilizations. Without religion, people would not be as unified, and the civilization may eventually fall apart. Rome and the Islamic people were just a few of the many civilizations that prospered due to a religion. Overall, Rome and the Islamic people all benefited from religion.


Next, Rome and Islam were different, yet similar in technological ways. Rome used aqueducts to get water from the far away bodies of water. (pg. 69) They transported water in a waterway from the mountains all the way to the city. On the other hand, Islamic people used a shadoof (or shaduf), a water lifting device. (What the Ancients Did For Us) This shows that for both worlds, water was essential for daily life. Even the Roman Empire discovered advanced technology just to get this simple necessity that could have been miles away. In addition, both empires used domes and arches in their architecture. This shows that both worlds decided that this was a good design. These designs were very influential in some of the most famous landmarks today, such as the White House and the US Capitol building. Arches, domes, and water systems made the Islamic world and Rome very significant and different.

Finally, their differences environmentally made life completely different for each of them. Rome was located around the Mediterranean Sea. This made the land very fertile and cool, which was good for farming. The Islamic people, on the other hand, faced many hardships living in the barren, arid desert. Romans got their water by using aqueducts to get water from far away. Muslim people had to settle in deserts with oases which were not too common. In addition, they would have to move if the oasis ran out of water. From this, I imagine life as hard, because it was very inconvenient. Despite this, people must have been very happy with the food and supplies they had. Overall, each world had different environments that altered how they lived.

In conclusion, different aspects made the Roman and Islamic world very unique. Environmental, cultural, and technological standards changed the normal life of these people. Despite all these differences, people still lived similar lives. The Islamic and Roman civilizations were greatly distinguished by culture, technology, and environment.

HARRISON