[choctaw man]

Well worth the read:

http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/the-lessons-of-the-roman-empire-for-america-today

[matt1234]

One main feature of the transition from Roman republic to empire was the senate: changing from a body of real power to a rubber stamp for the emperor. Another feature was endless wars. Sound familiar?

[sparklite2]

” Indeed, in 123 BC Gaius Gracchus codified a law that set aside a given portion of the grain revenue be provided to citizens at a heavily subsidized rate”

For which he was rewared thusly ...

Gaius’ head was cut off, as Opimius had announced that whoever brought back the head would be paid its weight in gold. When the head measured an astonishing seventeen and two-thirds pounds, it was discovered that Septimuleius, who brought the head, committed fraud by removing the brain and pouring in molten lead and therefore received no reward at all. The bodies of Gaius, Fulvius and the three thousand supporters who also died were thrown into the Tiber, their property confiscated and sold to the public treasury. Appian adds that their homes were looted by their opponents.[21]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Gracchus#Death_of_Gaius_Gracchus_and_Fulvius_Flaccus

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Starman417. I don't accept the notion of history cycling or repeating itself, but this is pretty on the nose:

Slavery changed the face of the Roman Republic. Although slavery had been an element of Roman history from the beginning, during the Republic's 4th century it would fundamentally transform it. For most of the first 350 years of the Republic Rome was a somewhat egalitarian state where, although there were rich and poor, many of the lower classes were farmers who owned the land or worked it under contract for patrician owners. Beginning in the 2nd century BC after the Romans finally conquered Spain, North Africa and Greece the Legions began bringing home the vanquished foes en masse and putting them to work on the farms of patricians who were accumulating vast estates by buying out small farmers with tribute from vanquished lands or by simply taking them. As the numbers of slaves working the land skyrocketed, a similar number of free Romans were put out of work, many of whom migrated to the cities. This ever growing number of free Romans who could not provide for their families was a problem for the ruling class and free and subsidized grain programs were implemented. Indeed, in 123 BC Gaius Gracchus codified a law that set aside a given portion of the grain revenue be provided to citizens at a heavily subsidized rate.

IOW, instead of emancipation of slaves, the aristocracy fostered dependence in order to maintain its grip on power.

[2banana]

The Legionnaires were of course... government employees.

The Legions also transitioned from mostly free Roman citizens to mostly auxilia, non-citizens and barbarians...

[Jan_Sobieski]

Very good! History always repeats itself...Goodbye United States of America, hello Empire. Will Obama be Der Fuhrer?