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Ed P's avatar

A question for the ages! My recent pet theory is the “fall” of the Roman Empire is a bit overrated. They moved their capital East and dominated hundreds more years. But shrank then sacked by the Ottomans, who viciously erased much of their accomplishment, I think a narrative set in Western Europe that very little was accomplished from 500-1400. The older I get, the more dubious this seems. The center of power moved east and then a threatening people with a different religion took over that turf.

whatever you want to call it, I think Christianity did it. The Roman Empire was built on a moral and societal structure that simply became untenable after a critical mass adopted the teachings of Christ as the center of their morality. Can’t really control the population with brutal gladiator games and other atrocities in the coliseum when they are living for the afterlife and are not buying into displays that drive home how leadership’s might makes them right. So the empire reinvented itself as a Christian one with a new, second seat of power closer to the holy land. Meanwhile, Rome itself became more and more destabilized until it fell, the Western administration and territories with it. Endless conquering for glory isn’t particularly Christian so expansion was mostly out of play. And so what remained of the Roman Empire shrank over centuries until the Ottomans finally sacked Constantinople

The Byznatine apparently viewed themselves as “Romans.” Not Eastern Romans. And prior, among Romans, the schism between East and West wasn’t so much viewed as two states, but rather as two administrations overseeing a vast turf for reasons of practicality

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Richmond Walton's avatar

The Roman government became corrupt! The government expanded by debasing their money; Less and less gold and silver was found in their coinage. Fear of the authorities kept their citizens in line until nobody believed in the government anymore. Fear lost its grasp on the population when the people finally understood that the government no longer supported them and it was every man (and woman) for himself (herself). Their money no longer worked. People cheated on their taxes because everyone was cheating. Revenues fell and the coinage suffered further. Soldiers did not fight as hard because they felt that there was nothing left to defend. The Empire began contracting and eventually collapsed on itself due to the hatred of their enemies (who the Romans abused) who saw the weakening of the empire and took advantage of their opportunity. Seems to me that America is in its final stage of Empire building and the collapse has begun. We would do well to learn more about the Fall of Rome before it is too late!

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