Perils of Empire: The Roman Republic and the American Republic

Description

Perils of Empire: The Roman Republic and the American Republic examines the similarities between the Roman Republic, which gained an empire and lost its freedoms, and the expansionist foreign policy of the American Republic since Teddy Roosevelt led the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill.The book points out startling similarities between Rome's history and that of the American Republic and traces the series of events leading to the Republic's collapse into civil war and eventual dictatorship. This well-researched study of both long-term trends and current events highlights the difficulties of balancing the demands of ruling an empire against democratic political institutions and political freedoms.Before the Roman Empire, a time of one-man rule and limited freedoms, there was the Roman Republic 500 years of free elections, civil liberties, and conquering armies. At first the successful armies brought wealth and glory; then the Republican institutions began to groan under the strain of running an empire. There were feuds, then riots, then civil wars, and the Republic was gone. During this turbulent period, some of the most famous people in ancient history vied for power and glory Caesar, Cleopatra, Cicero, and Octavian, Caesar's nephew, who became Augustus, Rome's first Emperor.With an American army occupying Iraq and fierce debates over which civil liberties must be restricted in order to prosecute a never-ending war on terrorism, now is a good time to look into the historical mirror and examine the perils for democratic institutions when republics acquire empires.