Guys, how often do you think about the Roman empire?
The girl I’m dating asked me yesterday, said it is a hot topic in Japan, and this morning it hits my Flipboard as well
I said maybe once or twice a day. Probably an exaggeration (but yesterday there was definitely a thought about some shared vocabulary in Italian and English, which I tied off with the obvious explanation). I’m taking a broad strokes approach here, so thinking about Stoicism counts, etc.
And we can share or discuss other aspects of the empire on thos thread. But to start, think about it: how often do you think about it? If any females read this, if course they are encouraged to chime in as well.
I think most people get their knowledge of “The Roman Empire” from movies. The problem is that the Empire spanned hundreds of years and many countries, and talking about it as a cultural monolith is as meaningless as suggesting someone from 17th Century Britain would have anything in common with a 21st-century chav.
And wasn’t stoicism associated with the Republic, anyway?
The article seems to be clickbait, but it’s possible that people think about such things (if they actually do) because there is a creeping awareness that everything is falling to pieces. There are historical parallels.
An historian/financial advisor/trend analyst I’ve been following for a decade and half keeps reminding readers that when the Roman Empire control/finances finally came to an end, it was like a waterfall event where it happened very quickly. He forecasts the same will happen to US dollar. The other currencies will collapse first, strengthening US dollar as a safehaven (like currently happening), but then it, too, will see its end as global currency, just like British pound before it, Spain’s currency, Dutch currency, etc.
He’s been spot on with his long-term macro-level trades/forecasts.
Occasionally, I read this this blog fairly regularly, I have one book on mostly Greek but some Roman history on the back burner rn, and there’s a handful of history podcasts where they come up pretty often.
Obviously it’s not bad to think about it but there’s a reactionary/far right fetishization of the empire which is really stupid and it’s upsetting to have to deal with the association, esp for those of my friends who studied classics.
Crikey. You can find absolutely anything on the internet.
I realise you’re joking, but “Rome” was just a geographical point that didn’t necessarily represent the Empire. Brussels today doesn’t represent Europe, although there is nevertheless an empire of sorts centered on Brussels. Same deal with Washington DC. Rome was similar in that people in other countries were following the laws of “Rome” and paying taxes to “Rome”, but were - mostly - left alone to do whatever they normally did.
I’m not an expert on the subject, but IIRC the Empire fractured into two loosely-defined halves just prior to its collapse, one essentially “European” and the other “African”. They had little in common with each other, and the centre could not hold. The Eastern half, of course, stumbled on for a while and was eventually subsumed into the Ottoman empire.
So yeah, there is a case to be made that the Roman Empire was more of a concept than an actual thing, at least during its senescence.
In our time is the gold standard of radio shows. Melvyn Bragg is without compare. The shows about ancient Rome are stunning. (Paul Cartledge is a delight to listen to on the subject, much like Steve Jones talking about science, but I digress) I was listening to the show about the decline and fall of Rome just two days ago. Fascinating. Here is a very decent link to all the episodes about ancient Rome (and Greece). Enjoy yourselves, there is so much to savour. https://www.classicstuition.com/in-our-time/
Quite often as I’m spending time in Italy. Also the Etruscan as I’m in Tuscany. I think the more you are aware of their influence, the more you think about the Romans. It’s rather amazing to see their construction across in Europe that still stands compared to some crap modern Europeans built that’s already falling apart.
