The Rome of the Americas

It's difficult to imagine what it's like to lack development. Everywhere we look, whether it's a major metropolis or the shopping center down the road, we have grown accustomed to having things provided for us. It's rare that a situation presents itself where there are no restrictions whatsoever. This is the situation that Washington and Jefferson were given as they tried to develop a central core to a new nation. The nation had been governed from both Philadelphia and New York, but these two men wanted to build a city where the entire purpose was to govern. It would become a modern day Rome - a city which had been built from nothing and was able to dominate the Mediterranean for nearly a millennium. While the two capitals are separated by over 1,000 years of history, they share many characteristics with each other. Two of these characteristics are the structure of the government and the layout of the capital.

After breaking from the British monarchial system of government, the early American republic needed to figure out a way to create a government where the people held the power. The last great republic was the Roman Republic which lasted from 509 BC to 27 BC and the rule of Augustus Caesar. The Romans ended the rule of the monarchy and created a system where the people were governed by representatives. These events are almost identical to the events that the early patriots lived through, with the overthrow of King George III's reign in the British North American colonies and the creation of a system of government where the public rules through representation.

The Romans used a system similar to our system of checks and balances. The executive branch was controlled by two consuls, the legislative branch was divided into two chambers with one containing regular representatives and the other housing committees, and finally the Senate. This was the base from which the founding fathers built our current form of republican government.

In addition to the similar forms of government, ancient Rome and late 18th century Washington, D.C. would share a similar layout, as both were established by men who shared similar principles. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both had ideas about what Washington, D.C. was to become. Washington tried his best to stay out of the quarrels between the Federalists and the Republicans, but he believed the young nation's capital should project strength and unity. Jefferson, on the other hand, wanted a capital that represented the people and the culture of the United States. The government could not govern without the consent of the people. Because much of the nation's economy was based in agriculture, Jefferson believed that the capital should reflect the modesty of the American people. He wanted the city to grow as was needed and hated the idea of having a large, European based model of a planned city.

The city of Rome was not established by the Republic, but through conquest the Romans were able to acquire large tracts of land throughout most of Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea. When establishing these new centers of commerce, the Romans would organize the city center in the same manner for each town. All would be based on the grid pattern, all would have clear centers for gathering, and all would have a protective wall built around the city. The streets would be marked out by the legions who built the city, but it was up to the citizens to build out their town. As the city grew, more and more streets would be added on the exterior of the original defensive wall. This is the approach Washington took when the planning of the new capital commenced. He wanted the city to be organized in a grid pattern and have plenty of room for expansion.

Ancient Roman plan

Plan for Washington, D.C.

The similarities continue between ancient Rome and a developing Washington, D.C. One of the defining features of Rome and any other Roman city was the significance of entertainment and the support for the arts. Similar to the Greeks before them, Romans enjoyed spectacles. Whether that be watching gladiators fight in the Colosseum, charioteers race around the Circus Maximus, or viewing a play in an open amphitheater, the Romans spent much of their time enjoying themselves. Similar to this is the desires of Thomas Jefferson when the planning of the new capital began. Being a strong enthusiast of horticulture, he wanted the capital to offer many open spaces where gardens could later be planted. Jefferson also wanted to bring a certain beauty to Washington, D.C. that was not present at the time. The man was adamant about encompassing pleasure into his daily life, just as the Romans were. Similar too is the architecture of the two cities. Buildings in Washington, D.C. were designed to look like ancient Greek and Roman forms. This was to become the newest ancient city in the world. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson spared no expense in attempting to convert a swamp in norther Virginia into the grandest yet most humble city in the United States. The design is truly American: it uses the best of other cultures in an attempt to create something unique...something bold...something American.