[EGPWS]

But a valid point raised, nevertheless.

Valid because personal labor was lost to the Romans because they were rich enough to be a societal giver to the poor and less affluent because they could afford to give?

Or lost because they lost the true meaning of personal labor and sacrifice in giving via labor because of their affluence.

[mondoreb]

Or lost because they lost the true meaning of personal labor and sacrifice in giving via labor because of their affluence. I would say this was a large contributing factor. But as a society moves away from its agrarian roots and into affluence, it usually picks up a variety of bad habits--including loss of personal sacrifice for the common good. But the low birth rate (caused perhaps by that loss of values and pursuit of personal pleasure at the expense of family) was a major contributing factor.