After reading so much about Rome, it saddens me slightly to find that instead of the misleading "Fall of Rome" there was just a steady decline. It seems that with such a rich history, Rome would be deserving of a rich, dramatic end.
Ha, well looks like there is a section on religion, sad and strange that a religion was spread through persecutions and what was probably violence to those that opposed it.
Thank god America cannot decree that our families be bound to soil for life, what a horrific way to help stimulate the economy.
4 comments:
I agree on the "Fall of the Roman Empire". It seems that a territory that was so huge and covered so much ground in history that would have a dramatic ending. Another thing that amazed me was that for many years after what historians call the end of the Roman Empire there was still a "myth" that the Roman Empire still existed, in some sense it still did but I think Professor Knox used a great analogy when he said that it was like an big iceberg melting, trickling away in some areas and in others breaking away in huge chunks.
I too agree that the "Fall" of Rome seems like it should have been a glorious and tragic ending. Yet we see that what reallty happened was a decline of Rome while learning and politics changed. With the introduction of Christianity as the main religion the cultures of the area declined as they moved about from the Polytheist based religions. I think that the important thing to remember is that while Rome did not Actually "Fall" it declined into the shadows of history and the legacy left to us by the Roman Empire will make sure that it is alive each day in everything we do.
I agree with your "bound for life to the soil" comment... to an extent. I think the thought is so horrifying to us because of the lack of freedom. But, we have to keep in mind that times were different back then. They were in constant fear of invaders terrorizing their little towns. They also, if they reached a point of little money in their lives, could be sold into slavery. That meant splitting up the family. So lack of freedom would be a welcome trade for protection and the chance of keeping their family together.
Emily, stick around. The Empire had a dramatic end, but it happened in 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Turks. Rousing good story, that.
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