[2][3] In 1999, Botch recorded some live demos with Matt Bayles for their second studio album and follow up to American Nervoso.

But then we started talking about the social decline of Western civilization, and how Americans are the new Romans—it's all slaves and Caesars.

"[5] Bassist Brian Cook, who determined many of the song titles, credits J. G. Ballard's book The Atrocity Exhibition as inspiring themes of "the human body as a landscape, and the way that culture and environment sort of dictates the human body and vice versa.

[6] We Are the Romans was released in November 1999 through Hydra Head Records on both CD and double LP vinyl formats.

[8] On July 28, 2001, Botch performed at Louisville, Kentucky's hardcore festival Krazy Fest 4,[9][10] which also featured Coalesce, Converge, Poison the Well and Harkonen among others.

[13] On November 4, 2022, Sargent House will reissue We Are the Romans following the collapse of Hydra Head Records.

[14][15] The album achieved critical acclaim upon release and would become an influential work of music on the mathcore and metalcore movements.