Could the United States be like the Roman Empire?

Question

Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation;and a house divided against a house falleth." Luke 11:17

At one time, the vast Roman Empire encompassed nearly all of the Mediterranean world. The land of Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal, the British Isles, Netherlands, Germany and the Balkan states were all a part of the great Empire. Three most important areas determined the subsequent growth and expansion of this vast kingdom. (1) Roman Law, strength of the Roman Government, military supremacy; (2) a well-structured/designed system of roads leading into and out of the main province; and (3) a well-established educational system.

The Fall of the Roman Empire came about through many sources of decay which ultimately led to its demise. (1) The diversity of its national, ethnic composition began as a strength but later aided in its failure; the Barbarians entered into

Answer 1

The affects of the Roman Empire were wide spread. That influence didn't fall with Rome. It kept spreading. Each empire of the western world since has been an evolutionary extension of the Roman empire. The British Empire was very much like Rome, and we are the descendants of the British Empire. So....we are not like the Roman Empire....we (western civ) ARE the Roman Empire.

Answer 2

It would not be just the United States it would be all the major European countries.

1500 years since the fall of the Roman empire the world has technologically changed. Like the early mammals survived when the dinosaurs died off the Christians came to power and created the world we live in today.

The cobble roads have been replaced with airline routes, swords and shields have become jets and tanks. The politics and law are still the same the rich get more rights than the poor and political intrigue is still running amok.

There are still barbarians out there wanting our stuff and we still want their raw resources.

At least we haven't gotten to the point of crucifying non citizens along the Interstate yet. A few more terrorist incidents and it might start happening.

Answer 3

1. The "Eastern Roman Empire" in Constatinople, lasted anther 1000 years.
2. The Empire split into 2 regions with two different Rulers in the Mid 300's AD.
3. The Western Empire fell, not the whole Empire.
4. The Merchants, and working "Middle Class' had already gone to Constantinople, as they were over taxed in Rome..
5. The City of Rome was left with the Few Rich elite, who inherited Wealth and the welfare class.
6. Since the Elite had no one left to tax (they all split), they could not fund a real army. Enter the Visigoths.....

Answer 4

From a military standpoint, a big reason for Rome's collapse was the fact that its legions were loyal to their generals rather than Rome. At the end, most legions were mainly made up of non-Romans who had no loyalty to the empire beyond their pay. When the empire got in trouble, they pounced on it instead of defending it.

Politically, decadence and corruption were rampant in the upper echelons of Rome's society. There was nobody in the leadership caste who really cared enough to try to straighten things out. Besides, anyone who tried was inevitably murdered by the people being straightened out.

Militarily only the dominance of the Roman military compares to the US. Our military is loyal to the nation. Almost fanatically so. To suggest otherwise in the presence of a military member invites a severe beating. Politically speaking, there are more similarities with Rome. Corruption is everywhere. Right now, those you see in Congress who swing the hammer of righteousness will, in five years or less, be just as corrupt as the ones they swing the hammer at. A major difference between Rome and the US is we can get rid of them (without having to murder anybody) and get new ones. Presidents change every 4 to 8 years and Congress is a constant revolving door. We get a whole new batch of morons every couple of years.

Answer 5

you have made many astute statements. i have seen this analysis in many articles and books. i am sry i cannot give you the sources as that was some time ago.

most empires fall from within when they are weakened by a lack of ethics and morals.

Hitler and Napoleon both tried to model their 'empires' after Rome and we see from history how that worked out.

Rome became very decadence and as you say, the diversity of those who didn't assimilate, contributed to their downfall.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American… There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language… and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”—Theodore Roosevelt

doesn't this sound all too familiar?

Answer 6

The Roman Empire fell because the people became so soft that they didn't have the resolve to do what was necessary to defend it. They came to think that the government owed them something. The slide started with what the Romans called social security. It was a system than was to protect those that could not fend for them selves. It grew until all thought that they should receive something from the government and the Roman system gradually began to rot from the inside out. Socialism killed Rome just like it kills every thing it touches.

Answer 7

A guy presented a paper in a college class I had that showed that once the Empire got big beyond a certain point, the cost of maintaining it exceeded the profit of having it, so it went broke. The laws of economics are immutable. You break them at your peril. The US has made itself financially insolvent with Mr. Bush's war and his tax breaks for billionaires. The US has to fix these problems or it will follow the Roman Empire into extinction.

Answer 8

I cant think of one way the USA could be like Rome. In the end of Rome's days most people in the army were not Roman- they were Celts, Gauls, Spaniards, people from Orient, and other barbarians. Today we have the same problem in our army- its mostly just Hispanics that arent even citizens of the USA. Call it barbarians knocking at the gate? Yea, look at Mexico, there is no border anymore.

Answer 9

No. Times have changed, I don't think this relates to the current condition of the U.S. at all.
The U.S. isn't exactly divided, many people are finally coming to the same realization that we don't have the best leader.
This is simply a power struggle within the government.

Answer 10

Excellent analysis and an interesting comparison. I'm hoping we can fix some of our moral problems with a new election.