Lessons not learned, Part II: Comparing Ancient Rome to the United States of America

At its cultural, political, and economic zenith, the Roman Empire spanned the modern-day territories of North Africa, southern Britain, and Anatolia (Turkey). Promoting a strong sense of public and civic identity, the organizational structure of Rome, at once flexible and firm, enabled a period of rule that has yet to be matched, let alone surpassed. Although brutal in its relentless pursuit of military conquest, decimating any foreign army who dared resist, newly subjected peoples, by and large, were permitted to retain much of their previous social identity. So long as allegiance to the Roman emperor was respected and not challenged, the citizens of Rome could exercise freedom of religion, preserve their native languages, and establish regional self-government. Yet, despite the progressive rights accorded to the Roman citizen, the economic structure of the empire subsisted almost exclusively on slave labor. These darker truths, concomitant with the ensuing rise of Christianity, just as quickly set in motion Rome's eventual demise.

Many have debated the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire, including Edward Gibbon, Ferdinand Lot, and more recently, Norman F. Cantor. There is, however, a general consensus among many contemporary scholars that the growth of Christianity significantly undermined the institutional features that had distinguished effective Roman governance. Particularly, once the Christian community and leadership became powerful and influential enough to convince Roman emperors to actively suppress religious diversity, the political and territorial fragmentation of the empire was all but assured. Added to the increasing tension that pitted those who sought to preserve traditional Roman pagan practice (Symmachus) against those who championed Christian orthodoxy (St. Ambrose of Milan), were the Germanic barbarian hordes who after centuries of being thwarted finally managed to secure a victory over the Roman army at the Battle of Adrianople. Depleted by war, divided by religion, and having no industrial base to reorganize and restructure itself, Rome fell.

So what lessons can be, and should be, learned from an empire that has long since ceased to exist? Today, the United States is facing many of the same problems that led to the fall of the Roman Empire: 1. Rome’s economic success depended on enslaving a significant majority of the people they conquered. Slavery was the engine of Rome’s industrial base. Comparatively, the economic prosperity of the United States was a direct result of the importation of slaves, the systematic extermination of a native Indian population, and later, the wholesale destruction of the world’s infrastructure during WWII. 2. The emergence of Christianity transformed Rome from an empire that was once tolerant of religious and cultural diversity, to one that actively persecuted groups and peoples of a different faith. Comparatively, the constitution of the United States asserts the separation of church and state. Although at different periods in the history of the Republic religious revivalism gripped political discourse and characterized cultural practice, not since the administration of George W. Bush has the political establishment of the United States enmeshed so closely with organized religion. 3. Repeated barbarian incursions into the territories of Rome not only depleted the empire of its military, financial, and human resources, but also left it vulnerable to increased social, political, and cultural upheaval. Comparatively, the wars of Afghanistan and Iraq have deepened the severity of America’s current economic crisis. Having incurred trillions of dollars of debt, much of which is owned by communist China, the United States faces an enormous fiscal challenge that stands to cripple many of its future generations for decades to come.

Although it is tempting to draw definitive conclusions about the fate of the United States based on studies of Roman history, there is at least one important fact that distinguishes the latter from the former, geography. The borders of America are separated by two vast oceans and despite the attacks on September 11, the United States will never experience waves of barbarian invaders landing on its shores as did Rome. Certainly, technology will someday shorten these distances, but for now, this remains the purview of futurists. Suffice it to say, the United States has only itself to fear. Should it fail to resolve its economic, social, and cultural crises, America may soon face another civil war.

Note: The debate, of course, is much broader and comprehensive than has been here discussed. I've attempted simply to draw a few obvious parallels between the two empires.