To: Rockingham
The Roman Empire did pretty well -- the stretch of time from Rome's conquest of Ostia to the fall of Constantinople is over 1800 years -- and it was accomplished without a postal system, public schools or general literacy, a banking system (other than the loansharking style), common liberty (lots of slavery, and lower classes were always at risk of sinking into it), and a coherent system of succession for the emperor were some of their problems.
22 posted on
12/26/2018 8:01:35 PM PST by
SunkenCiv
(and btw -- https://www.gofundme.com/for-rotator-cuff-repair-surgery)
To: SunkenCiv
Quite true. The Roman Empire had an excellent road network, a superb and high adaptable military organization in its legionary system, and (usually) an effective central administration. Moreover, the Roman way of life proved highly attractive to the barbarians that it incorporated or who settled on its frontiers. A century or two of peaceful contact and trade often sufficed for Roman goods and way of life to turn barbarians into friends or even allies who sent their sons into the recruitment system of the Roman Army. You may find the Edward Luttwak's The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire and The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire of interest.
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