your first sentence was incorrect so that’s as far as I will comment about me perviously being libertarian as if that has any significance except to let you take apersonal shot; except I will say.
I stand by my comments and my education and subsequent reading and the historical record with which I am very familiar. There are references on this thread about Roman immorality despite the codes and Augustus’s attempt to be righteous. Are you saying the three emperors I cited lead a moral empire? That is ridiculous.
Your comment about christianity doesn’t explain how Rome fell when it was christian and not when it was far less moral. So what does morality have to do with empire. That’s what is being discussed. That is the basis for this thread and it makes the basic assumptions above wrong as is the usual stereotype of Rome falling because it was immoral.
Please explain the lifespan of nations and how that is a factor rather than what is happening with the nation. Demographics, over expansion, etc
What is the life span of Greece or Egypt, or China or the US or Spain or.........?
There were a lot of reason why Rome fell but the primary reason is it never solved the change of government problem.
Augustus’s ascension was a military coup as was every following emperor change. Either a violent coup with more then one contending - civil war or something relatively benign with behind the scene backstabbing’s both real & figurative.