a process through which areas conquered by or added to the Roman Empire became more like Rome and through which Rome spread its influence; this process took place in many different ways, such as through the adoption of legal and administrative processes, the spread of the Latin language, the erection of Roman-style buildings and monuments and the spread of Roman religion; Romanization did not require that newly added regions take on only Roman characteristics; the Roman Empire incorporated parts of others' cultures also, but Romanization is the process by which other cultures became "Roman".