:: Some thoughts... ::

:: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 ::

America as Rome:

Usually I don't give much credence to this idea, but earlier today the semblance of a comparison, in fact a connection between these two states came to mind. Let me outline briefly what I am referring to and then provide a small bit of evidence to back up my assertion. There has been over the many years since Rome fell, several self-appointed successors to the Roman Empire. The first began shortly after Constantine became the undisputed Emperor. He built up a small city that existed on the Bosphorous straits into a grand city called Constantinople. We know it today as Istanbul (which is a corruption of Constantinople). Constantinople was be a Christian "Rome." It was found upon seven hills, but was stripped of the Pagan influences that were so prevalent in the city of Rome. The Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire was the declared successor to the original empire. It soon foundered and over the period of approximately a thousand years it decayed and then was defeated by the Ottoman Turks. During the period of the decline of Byzantium, three successors to the Roman Empire declared themselves. The first was under Charlemagne. The Pope declared his Frankish kingdom, "The Holy Roman Empire." This did not last too long after the death of Charlemagne. The second "Holy Roman Empire" was created under the German Emperor Otto I. He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor, and this Empire stood until Napoleon abolished it 1806. It last for approximately 1000 years. Adolf Hitler saw this empire as the first German Reich.
The third successor empire was the "third Rome." The third Rome is the city of Moscow, which according to legend was founded upon seven hills also. I don't think that any of these are the true successors to Rome, neither Constantinople, Moscow, the Franks or the Germans. None truly represented the ideas behind the city of Rome. Washington D.C. may not be founded on hills, but America is an extension of the founding ideals of the original Roman republic. It is the single country that best embraces the notion of Romanism.
There are three main facets as I see it to being a Roman. The first facet is the concept of a free people, who freely associate and have some degree of influence on their leaders. The second facet of the Roman idea is one a tribeless state. Later on, I will address the idea of tribalism a bit further, and why being tribeless is very important. And lasltly, Rome was the "light" of the world. The Puritan Minister, John Winthrop in 1630 said that "we shall be set as city upon a hill, a light to all the nations." Winthrop actually was quoting from Jesus there, but the concept remains undiminished. The Roman world was separated into the Empire and the Barbarians. The Barbarians (mainly the Germanic tribes) were not so uncivilized as the Romans would have led us to believe. Recent evidence suggests they had cities, irrigation, and the like. But because we are products of Roman learning we do not hear much about this and have accepted the notion that the peoples surrounding Rome were barbarians. From the distinction between barbarian and Roman that the Romans made, we can surmise a good deal about how Rome felt about itself. Rome, was civilization. Everything else was darkness.

Byzantium may have originally been something of a successor to Rome, but lost the original ideal of a large landed class with small firms (essentially a middle class) with one of large landed estates, more akin to Feudal Europe than Rome. The core idea of a unified empire did exist in Byzantium, but it was gradually overrun by the Muslims invaders from the south and east.

Moscow, was even less of a worthy successor to Rome. It had the large feudal barons of Europe, it was actually considered rather barbarian by those outside it. It was also dominated by a slavic "white russian" core. None of these pretenders were ever true successors to the Roman ideal.

Today, a successor that hews the same ideals as the original Roman republic does exist. The United States is comprised of a large middle class, where birth does not define one's status. It also is a true republic of the people, by the people and otensibly for the people. It is also a largely tribeless states. There is most certainly racial issues within the United States, but there were no doubt some in Rome too. The important idea is that race is not a barrier to achievement. There are not tribal regions within the United States. To be an American is to be an idea. Also, last but not least America is the light to which the rest of the world looks to. No other country commands such influence throughout the world. No other country is as rich or has generated so many new ideas. No other country trades (in absolute terms) more. This has led to a bit of a smug cultural superiority among Americans. Not to the same degree as Rome, but it leads in that direction.
I'll leave it to you dear reader, to ponder an decide for yourself!
:: Nathan 5:35 PM [+] ::
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