Can we make a sensible comparision between the 2 ? Similarities : 1. Roman empire : bread and circuses USA : burger and baseball 2. Strongest military force (correct me if I am wrong, I have never been good in history) 3. Extreme decadence 4. Romans <> christians USA <> Moslims 5....
6. Republic lead by corrupt senate. 7. Currency devalued (gold coins contained less gold towards the end) as debt levels and government expenditures blew out. 8. ...
Rome had colonies all over the world America has military bases all over the world Rome had the best & most extensive road system in the world America has the best & most extensive roads in the world Rome was famous for their gluttonous desire and expenditure of, not only food, but also power. America....dito! Americans put their hand over their heart during the national anthem. The Romans were the only other people to do this. In Rome, if you didnt want a child, you killed it. In America, if you dont want a child, you kill it. (a.k.a Abortion) Rome had huge graineries to feed the poor. America has food stamps. Roman customs were loosely based of the customs of other nations America is the cultural "melting pot" of the world. Rome was over-extended and eventually had trouble maintaining their empire. America is in a credit crisis. Rome was then sacked by barbarians... America was sacked by....oh wait...hasnt happened yet. Guess we will know the answer to this question soon.
8. More soldiers deployed outside the nation offensively than inside defensively. 9. Democracy for american citizens in America only. The rest are treated like iraqis
Rome 23bc - 476 ad = 499 years America 1776 - present = 232 years 499-232 = THERE'S STILL 267 YEARS LEFT IN THE PARTY!!!!!!!!
Rome lasted for 1 thousand years in west and 1500 in the east so America has at least 700 hundred years to go.
Much more interesting is doing the comparison of the current US and national socialism. Also about the "persona" role of Bush and that of Hitler. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalsocialism See authoritarian rule, social control, symbolism, nationalism, fear, islamophobia, power projection etc.
Or you could say that america was discovered in 1492. Then that equals 516 years....looks like this party is running on borrowed time.
euro-centric perspective. Nothing great abt Rome. at the time of the roman empire, the han dynasty in the East in china was equally as large. while rome committed 100,000 men at the epic battle of cannae. 300 thousand strong Han imperial forces were present at the battle of gaixia.