How 'Roman' was the Roman Empire?

[Holysahib]

I hardly doubt the best way to integrate a newly conquered area is to "rape the shit out everything". This would only lead to a deep hatred against the conquering force, creating a "wound" that may take many generations to heal. The best way to integrate and absorb a conquered area, is to allow them autonomy and slowly introcuce [non violent] customs of your own. Slowly expose them to your culture, until they are deeply affected by it.

Maion

I don't think the meeting between an army and a newly conquered area has much to do with exchanging non-violent customs. Looting and raping is always a part of war, I think. On the other hand, this has little to do with long term integration. Romans weren't that fanatical about colonizing were they? Legions recieved lands mostly in Italy and all fame and political influence lay in Rome, so how much actual contact was there between Romans and the people they subjucated?

Then again, what is a Roman? Someone exclusively from Rome, or also people from the rest of Italy? Pontius Pilate was Samnite, most of Caesar's troops Spaniards. Rome's great power was it's adaptability (is that a word?) so the definition of Roman changes through time.
The ideal Roman was probably a cheap, sour faced old farmer on a moralist's trip.

I don't think that in any empire there is a singular culture that obliterates all others. Both conqueror and conquered change in the contact, look at ol' Megas Alexandros, he brought hellenic culture to Persia, but became half Persian in the process.

Anyway, these are just some barely historically founded thoughts, I wonder what you think of it, or just continue bitching against romaioi