The process which has resulted in this book began many decades ago when, as an undergraduate student, I found myself asking the question, ‘What did the Romans think they were doing when they created the Roman Empire?’ For many years this question lurked in the background of my thoughts as I worked on Roman history more generally and on Roman Spain in particular, not least because itwas not clear tome howsuch a questionmight be follows is, I hope, if not an answer, at least a contribution towards one. It emerged not least from a remark made in passing by Fergus Millar, that to understandwhat imperiummeant itwould be.
