Why do people compare the United States to the Romans?
This comparison comes from radical Christians. The Book of Revelations was written around the year 70ad, to console Christians who were facing persecution. The central point was not to worry about the cruel Roman Empire; it would soon fall and be replaced by a Christian kingdom on earth. (eg., The number ‘666’ refers to, in numerology, Ceasar Nero.)…Unfortunately, radical Christians try to make the Book of Revelations suit their own purposes; by twisting it to pretend some clues in it refer not to the Roman Empire, but to the United States. BTW, it’s important to note here that Martin Luther considered the Book of Revelations ‘questionable’, that is, he almost removed it from the Bible with the rest of the Apocrypha.
A good question. I myself see no real similarities. USA is not ruled by an aristocratic elite,dictators, or triumvirates of strongmen, and possesses no empire of its own, conducting cultural rather than direct imperialism. There is no endemic social disorder and violence nor regular civil war engendered by it. As for comparisons with the Late Roman empire: USA is not ruled by an emperor. The borders of the USA are not threatened by invasion of hordes of barbarian enemies. The population is not suffering from famine caused by long term environmental factors. So, I see no direct comparisons. If USA was going the same way as the Roman Republic – well, the Republic was replaced by an imperial system that made Rome even bigger, better,and more powerful than before, and lasted for 500 years bringing cultural and social benefits to millions over people over generations of time.
