Final answer:
Romans were infamous for aggressively shaping landscapes and exploiting natural resources to sustain their economy and military power, reflecting a pride in their ability to alter nature for their advantage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout all of Roman history, the attitude towards nature and resource consumption was indeed one of dominance and utilitarian use. Roman conquests were geared towards controlling and exploiting natural resources in subdued territories, enabling wealth flow back to Rome. This was crucial to fund the empire's operations, such as feeding the population and maintaining the military. The Romans were known for their pragmatic approach to the environment, exemplified in actions such as draining lakes to construct buildings, which mirrors Steven's remark on Romans altering the landscape to showcase their power and dominance. These endeavors provided the foundation for Rome's economic stability, where enslaved individuals became a backbone of the economy by contributing as a labor force. Thus, it is clear that Romans prided themselves on their ability to alter nature and effectively utilize resources for the benefit of the empire, although modern perspectives might critique this for the long-term damages it might have caused.