Why were the Romans happier in an empire?

The Romans were happier in an empire because their ruler made a law that the roman can torture any one who goes against Cesar. In their time the Romans were the 1# torturers in their empire.

+++ Weird answer! Yes they could be very cruel but didn't have a monopoly on it. They, or at least the better-off Romans, were happy in the stable days of the Roman Empire because it gave them a well-off, ordered society, good houses, etc.