Ancient Rome and Modern America

eriHistorians referenced in the episode: Gibbons, Vegetius, Bark, Toynbee, Ward-Perkins, Heather, McNeill, Bury

Comparisons between the fall of Rome and America now:

Military ConquestRome: Conquest by Germans under Odoacer

Loss of IdentityRome: Germanization of Army and empireAmerica: Hispanic Immigration boom into army and country

Loss of UnityRome: Eastern and Western Roman EmpiresAmerica: Country vs. City, Democrat vs. Republican

Loss of Economic StrengthRome: Lack of gold, lack of exportable goods, income disparity

America: Outsourcing, economic decline, income disparity

Loss of Military StrengthRome: Overextension, Middle East problemAmerica: Overextension, Iraq

Loss of PopulationRome: Plague, Lead PoisoningAmerica: Avian Flu, Obesity

Loss of Environmental SecurityRome: Salinization of North AfricaAmerica: Lack of oil security, global warming

Loss of Civic Virtue:Rome: Laziness

This is purely an informational episode.  I am not trying to persuade

anybody or make any generalizations or make any predictions about the

future.  I am trying to support famous claims, but this does not mean

that these claims are foolproof.  Feel free to comment with your

opinions.

For more information, read:

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

by Edward Gibbons

http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/romefallarticles/a/fallofrome.htm

2007 World Almanac

Vanity Fair (October 2006): Empire Falls

Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporationca