Just what is it about Rome? Why is this time period of this ancient world so fascinating? Maybe the intrigue is that it’s a story about us. About us as a people. As my mother did say once to me, “times change but people don’t.” And I’ve learned that she was right.
People, both then and now, love, laugh, cry, murder, steal, marry, divorce, plot revenge, spy, have affairs, remain loyal unto death and sacrifice for loved ones. Nothing was really any different from anything we hear in the news today. They just did it differently. Instead of cars, they had horses or walked. Instead of microwaves, they used campfires. They did wear sandals on beaches and boots in snow.
So why Rome? Maybe because of how many things made sense back then and still do. The founding fathers of America based much of the American constitution on how Rome was built. After all, it worked for hundreds of years.
Yet we also know, Rome fell to ruin and sometimes wonder why. What brought about her demise? Was it greed and power? Was it pollution? Was it a fascination with entertainment such as theater, gladiatorial games or gambling? Was it their children modeling and glorifying actors and gladiators over patriots? Was it dependence on foreign commerce instead of home-grown commerce as mom-and-pop stores? Maybe too many coming in from other countries who failed to bring loyalties to Rome? Was it just one or possibly all of the above? What I’ve learned is it was a combination of all of the above and more.
Could we fall like Rome? If so, shouldn’t we study this history as well? As it has been said , “If you don’t know your history, you are doomed to repeat it.” Could Rome teach us a few things? I think so and we can have a fascinating adventure along the way.
Tags #
Ancient Rome
Ancient history
Roman empire
Historical empire
European history
United States history
Economy
JF Ridgley
Red Fury Series
Historical novel
Historical fiction
Historical empire
War and warfare
History and people
