In essence, the Roman Empire was a framework of military hegemony, and its form was determined by a combination of geographical reality and political technology. The Roman Empire had no natural or heavenly boundaries, nor did it

In essence, the Roman Empire was a framework of military hegemony, and its form was determined by a combination of geographical reality and political technology. The Roman Empire had no natural or heavenly boundaries, nor clearly defined boundaries, and the borders of the modern state through advanced land surveys were too precise for the Romans. In the final analysis, it is because the Romans ruled over "tribes" or "nations" . The Greek historian Appian, who served as governor of the provinces during Hadrian's reign, began by describing "the borders of peoples under Roman rule" and recounted his Roman history. He could reasonably point to the main geographical features of the empire's edges, such as the Rhine, Danube, and Euphrates, but he went on to explain that the Romans also ruled over people outside these borders. Large legion bases were set within the borders, a position that both preserved strength and allowed soldiers to function effectively in roles between the Imperial police and sappers. The border area is a dense network of small fortresses, watchtowers, and signal stations, sometimes reaching deep into enemy territory. It is said that the Quadi, who lived outside the Danube, rebelled because they "could not bear to monitor their fortress".