The Germs That Destroyed An Empire [Roman Empire]

American Spectator ^ | April 24, 2020 | Rod Dreher

[C19fan]

he COVID-19 pandemic has brought the global economy to a halt. The geopolitical upheavals yet to come will dramatically change world history, in unpredictable ways. The United States is only three months into its struggle with coronavirus, and is experiencing an Icarus-like plummet from the economic heights. The tiny coronavirus will ravage the nations, and may even cause empires to fall. We have been here before. In his 2017 book The Fate Of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire, Oklahoma University historian Kyle Harper examined the roles that climate instability and plague played in weakening the Roman Empire. The fate of Rome reveals an eternal truth: that not even the greatest concentration of wealth and power in the world can infallibly protect a nation from Nature. I spoke to Prof. Harper by phone yesterday from his home in Oklahoma:

[C19fan]

The Roman Empire developed extensive trade links via what would be called the Silk Road and Indian Ocean brining in goods as far away as China. Besides silks, and spices, disease were brought into the Mediterranean World along these trade routes.

[Bullish]

If it causes any empire to fall then the empire should be China. We could bury them economically if we quit importing their crap.

[reasonisfaith]

I think it’s safe to say Rome didn’t start out on God’s good side, nor did they ever get there.

Some things really matter for longevity.

[Pelham]

The link goes to another Rod Dreher article, one that reminded me of why I vaguely remembered him as a worthless POS; it contains this line:

Look, don’t get me wrong: nothing justifies Trump’s crackpot daily digressions. He’s a lunatic.

[Pelham]

I think it’s safe to say Rome didn’t start out on God’s good side, nor did they ever get there.

I guess you missed the whole Edict of Milan thing circa 313 AD

[mewzilla]

What really did them in...

Bureaucracy Kills: A Lesson from Rome.

[BenLurkin]

Germans

[Buttons12]

The early Romans were a pious people, though pagans. I’d say what ended their empire was something more like globalism and diversity. They abandoned their identity, their nationhood.

[Born to Conserve]

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the global economy to a halt.”

No, the insane reaction to wuflu has brought the global economy to a halt.

[Conan the Librarian]

I read until the author started talking about 400AD. The Roman Empire didn’t fall until 1453 when the Turks took Constantinople. And, there is some good arguments for it not falling until 1917 with the death of Tzar Nicholas.

Rome may have fallen in the 400s, but, the Empire kept going.

[takebackaustin]

The source is NOT the American Spectator as cited, but the “American Conservative” (TDS/RINO).

[Bonemaker]

“The Germs That Destroyed An Empire [Roman Empire]”

I think it was the Germans not Germs!

[ModelBreaker]

The author is close to cheering for the virus to bring down the evil American empire.

[bagster]

The Germs That Destroyed An Empire [Roman Empire]

We call ours democrats.

[SuperLuminal]

"Germans"

Yep... Migrant invaders... Illegals... Have them join the military... Bad idea...

This article is revisionist history on a Soviet scale...

[hinckley buzzard]

First time I read anything by this guy. Sorry, he doesn’t make Tyler cut. Although he is not well informed he also is not very perceptive.

[hinckley buzzard]

Tyler = the. Stupid apple people.

[TheConservativeTejano]

If it causes any empire to fall then the empire should be China. We could bury them economically if we quit importing their crap.

Partner, we need to get out of China and let them die on the vine.

[Sergio]

The case can be made that unchecked migration led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

https://qz.com/677380/1700-years-ago-the-mismanagement-of-a-migrant-crisis-cost-rome-its-empire/

[minnesota_bound]

#6 When pro­vincial cities, formerly free in matters of local administration, got into financial difficulties, the omni competent Imperial govern­ment proceeded to bail them out and appoint official directors of their affairs.

The states want to be bailed out now to pay for the fat pensions.