The Roman Effect: How Ancient Rule Continues to Shape Personality and Well-Being in Modern Germany
Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
When we think about ancient history, it’s easy to imagine crumbling ruins and dusty relics—distant echoes of a world long gone.
But what if ancient civilizations left more than artifacts? What if their influence still shaped the way we live, think, and even feel today?
A recent study suggests that the Roman Empire’s legacy is doing just that in parts of Germany.
Regions in Germany that fell under Roman rule 2,000 years ago show higher levels of psychological well-being, better health, and more adaptive personality traits compared to areas that remained beyond the empire’s reach.
Published in Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, this groundbreaking study reveals how Roman infrastructure, institutions, and cultural advancements have left a lasting psychological and socio-economic imprint.
A Legacy Written in Stone—and in Minds
“The intersection of history and psychology is gaining increasing attention in research,” explains Dr. Martin Obschonka, a professor at the University of Amsterdam and the study’s lead author. “But there’s a gap in understanding how ancient history—not just recent events—affects modern populations.”
Dr. Obschonka and his team set out to explore this by focusing on the Roman Empire’s northern boundary in Germany, known as the Limes Germanicus.
This ancient frontier wall separated Roman-occupied regions to the south from unconquered Germanic tribes in the north.
By comparing these regions today, the researchers aimed to uncover whether Roman rule left an enduring mark on the personality and well-being of modern Germans.
The Study: Unearthing a Roman Legacy
To investigate, the researchers used a spatial regression discontinuity design, a method that allowed them to compare regions historically within the Roman Empire with neighboring regions outside it. By analyzing data along the ancient Roman border, they could isolate the effects of Roman rule from other factors like geography or climate.
Key Data Sources:
Personality Traits: Over 73,000 folks completed Big Five personality assessments as part of the Gosling-Potter Internet Project (2003–2015), measuring traits like extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
Well-Being Metrics: Health satisfaction, life satisfaction, and life expectancy data came from the German Socioeconomic Panel and official statistics.
Historical Context: The researchers mapped Roman infrastructure—roads, markets, and mines—to assess the extent of Roman economic investment in each region.
The Findings: Roman Roots of Modern Advantages
The results were clear: regions within the Roman Empire continue to show significant advantages in well-being and personality compared to their non-Roman counterparts.
Personality Patterns:
Residents of former Roman regions scored higher on traits like extraversion and agreeableness and lower on neuroticism, reflecting more adaptive and socially engaged personality profiles.Well-Being and Health:
These areas reported greater life and health satisfaction, with residents enjoying longer life expectancy—on average, six months more than those in non-Roman regions.Economic Prosperity:
Roman infrastructure investments, including roads and trade networks, laid the foundation for centuries of sustained economic growth, which continues to support higher living standards and well-being today.
“Although Roman rule ended 2,000 years ago, its legacy can still be observed in today’s macro-psychological landscape,” says Dr. Obschonka. “The Roman Limes wall represents not just a historical boundary but a socio-economic divide that persists to this day.”
Why Roman Influence Still Matters
One of the most striking findings was the role of Roman infrastructure. Regions with denser networks of Roman roads or trade hubs showed stronger economic resilience over time, suggesting that ancient economic advantages have created enduring cycles of prosperity.
“Roman investments in economic institutions—roads, markets, and mines—played a pivotal role in creating long-term regional advantages,” explains Dr. Obschonka. “These findings demonstrate how ancient cultures can leave a lasting legacy, influencing everything from regional economies to individual psychology.”
This insight has broader implications, highlighting how early infrastructure and institutions can shape societies for millennia.
Historical Echoes: The Roman Limes vs. the Berlin Wall
Dr. Obschonka draws parallels between the ancient Roman Limes and the Berlin Wall, the latter dividing East and West Germany during the Cold War. While much younger, the Berlin Wall has left a stark socio-economic divide that endures today.
This new study suggests that the Roman Limes wall, though 2,000 years older, created a similarly lasting legacy, influencing well-being and personality traits in ways that echo across centuries.
Challenges and Future Questions
While the findings are fascinating, the study also has its limitations. Relying on modern data means it’s difficult to trace how these effects evolved over time. Complex migration patterns and cultural shifts likely played roles that weren’t fully captured in the analysis.
Future research could explore other Roman-influenced regions, such as France or Italy, to see if similar patterns exist. Investigating mechanisms like cultural transmission and social norms may also provide deeper insights into how ancient history shapes modern minds.
What This Means for Us Today
This study reminds us that history isn’t just a collection of dates and artifacts—it’s alive in the structures, economies, and even personalities of modern societies. The Roman Empire, with its advanced infrastructure and cultural innovations, may be long gone, but its influence continues to shape the lives of millions.
For Germans living in former Roman territories, this legacy offers a unique perspective on how deeply the past can root itself in the present. From the roads beneath their feet to the traits that shape their personalities, the shadow of Rome stretches far beyond the fall of its empire.
Rome’s Timeless Impact
The research by Dr. Obschonka and his team provides a compelling glimpse into how ancient history shapes our world in ways we might never have imagined. The Roman Empire’s influence goes beyond ruins and artifacts—it’s written into the very fabric of modern German society.
As we continue to explore the long-term effects of history, one thing becomes clear: the past is far from gone. It’s alive in the way we think, live, and thrive today—a legacy as enduring as the roads Rome built.
The past is never dead. It's not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity. Willam Faulkner
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
REFERENCES:
Fritsch, M., Obschonka, M., Wahl, F., & Wyrwich, M. (2020). The deep imprint of Roman sandals: Evidence of long-lasting effects of Roman rule on personality, economic performance, and well-being in Germany. SOM Research Reports; Vol. 2020007-I&O. University of Groningen, SOM Research School. Retrieved from https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/the-deep-imprint-of-roman-sandals-evidence-of-long-lasting-effect
Obschonka, M., Wahl, F., Fritsch, M., Wyrwich, M., Rentfrow, P. J., Potter, J., & Gosling, S. D. (2025). Roma Eterna? Roman rule explains regional well-being divides in Germany. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology. Advance online publication.
The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). (n.d.). Health satisfaction and life satisfaction data. German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin). Retrieved from https://www.diw.de/en/diw_02.c.222518.en/socio-economic_panel.html
Kemkes, M. (2015). The Limes. In S. Hornung (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Roman Germany(pp. 166–198). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199665730.013.7
Gechter, M. (1979). Die Anfänge des Niedergermanischen Limes. Bonner Jahrbücher, 179, 1–129.