Question

Why have historians referred to the Mediterranean Sea as a "Roman lake

Answer 1

It was controlled by the Roman Empire, and only Roman citizens were allowed to fish or swim in it. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

The Pax Romana was the period of the first 2 centuries of the Roman Empire. It was a period of stability and great geographic expanse. During this period the Romans governed over the whole coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. This is why they called this body of water as the "Mare Nostrum" or "Our Sea".