What role did the provinces play in the life of the Roman state?

In the initial stage of the Roman conquests, the provinces in the life of Rome played a predominantly economic role. A prime example was Egypt, which provided Rome with wheat. The northern and eastern provinces also played an important role. But gradually the provinces acquired a political role. This became evident especially at the end of the 2nd century AD, when Septimius Sever, a native of the province of Africa, became emperor. And the culmination of this process was the relocation of the capital of the empire to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine.