.

[Lark]

.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

If Rome had survived as either a republic or empire do you think it would have returned to its pagan and militaristic roots or do you think it would have become "civilized" by Christianity or some other popular creedo?

Do you think that Romes fate was sealed when it abandoned the republic and became an empire or when it decided to become mono-cultural and adopt christianity as a state religion?

I'm not an expert but from what I know, seems like they got too big and the Roman population got too indifferent.

 

[Lark]

I'm not an expert but from what I know, seems like they got too big and the Roman population got too indifferent.

Do you see any parallels with the US or anglo-sphere?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Do you see any parallels with the US or anglo-sphere?

Somewhat.


I'm also seeing some indications that large levels of corruption and inequality may have played a role.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Although these men differ in customs and language from those with whom they have taken refuge, and are unaccustomed too, if I may say so, to the nauseous odor of the bodies and clothing of the barbarians, yet they prefer the strange life they find there to the injustice rife among the Romans. So you find men passing over everywhere, now to the Goths, now to the Bagaudae, or whatever other barbarians have established their power anywhere ... We call those men rebels and utterly abandoned, whom we ourselves have forced into crime. For by what other causes were they made Bagaudae save by our unjust acts, the wicked decisions of the magistrates, the proscription and extortion of those who have turned the public exactions to the increase of their private fortunes and made the tax indictions their opportunity for plunder?

On inequality

There also seems to be a lot of backstabbing and infighting among elites.

 

[Kephalos]

Well, the Eastern Roman Empire (Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Ῥωμανία) did survive, although it lost many territories, into the 15th century C.E. It was both a Christian and militaristic state.

 

[ceecee]

You should read/listen to this guy.

https://twitter.com/mikeduncan