==Citizenship as a tool of Romanization==

The granting of citizenship to allies and the conquered was a vital step in the process of [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanization]]. This step was one of the most effective political tools and (at that point in history) original political ideas (perhaps one of the most important reasons for the success of Rome).

As a precursor to this, [[Alexander the Great]] had tried to "mingle" his Macedonians and other Greeks with the Persians, Egyptians, Syrians, etc in order to assimilate the people of the conquered [[Persian Empire]], but after his death this policy was largely ignored by his successors. The idea was to [[cultural assimilation|assimilate]], to turn a defeated and potentially rebellious enemy (or his sons) into a Roman citizen. Instead having to wait for the unavoidable revolt of a conquered people (a tribe or a city-state) like [[Sparta]] and the conquered [[Helots]], Rome made the "known" (conquered) world Roman.

The [[Social War]] (in which the Italian allies revolted against Rome) ended gradually as Rome granted citizenship to all Italian freemen (with the exception of [[Gallia Cisalpina]]). After 212 AD, all freemen in the Empire were granted citizenship by an imperial edict (the [[Constitutio Antoniniana]]) of Emperor [[Caracalla]].