Lifecycle_of_an_Empire

Running head: LIFECYCLE OF AN EMPIRE Lifecycle of an Empire Amy Gibson Grand Canyon University World History before 1500 HIS107 Dr. Raymond Copp September 27, 2009 Lifecycle of an Empire Introduction This paper will answer the question: Does an Empire have a natural lifecycle' It will also explain what the lifecycle of an empire is. This paper will also explain if the Roman Empire followed the natural lifecycle of an empire. What specific mistakes led to the decline of the Roman Empire and what the most important factor was in the decline of the Roman Empire. Does an Empire have a natural lifecycle' Yes, this author believes that an empire does have a natural lifecycle just like everything else in life. Once anything reaches its peak it will eventually begin to decline. What is the lifecycle of an Empire' There are many different stages in the life cycle of an empire. Sir John Glibb Pasha a British military officer and historian made a list of the lifecycle of an empire in his book The Fate of Empires. Glubb Pasha discovered that empires experienced similar cultural developments while experiencing a life cycle in a series of stages which may overlap. As he generalized, the stages are: 1. age of outburst (or pioneers) 2. The age of conquests 3. The age of commerce 4. The age of affluence 5. The age of intellect 6. The age of decadence 7. The age of decline and collapse Each stage helps to lead to the next as the values of the people change over time as influenced by military, political, economic, and religious developments. (Snow, n.d., p. 1) Did The Roman Empire follow the Natural Lifecycle of an Empire' The Roman Empire did follow the natural lifecycle of an empire but with a few added twists which is what made it so successful. Augustus who was considered the first ‘emperor’ of the Roman Empire held many different offices such as consul, tribune, high priest, and senator all at the same time. He refused to be crowned ‘emperor’ because he knew that the Romans would not accept a one-person rule if it was not in the framework of the of the Republic. He talked of ‘old Roman virtues’ and tradition. He also made the official religion important again. Augustus also had control over the military because he made the soldiers swear and allegiance to him. He chose people for his government because of their talent or education instead of because of their birth right. He even gave slaves and freed slaves a chance to be in the government. Augustus brought peace to the Roman Empire that lasted for some 200 years. (Cox, Greenblatt, & Seaberg, 1981) Specific Mistakes that led to the fall of the Roman Empire and the most important factor. There were several different rulers after Augustus not all of them with the same philosophy as Augustus. There were several reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire but there were three main factors. The first one was political; none of the emperor had set up an heir to the throne upon his death. This led to many different personalities being the ruler. The second reason would be economics. The emperors had to keep increasing the taxes to pay the armies payroll. And the third mistake would be foreign enemies, because the Romans were fighting against one another because of the high taxes (politics and money) this left them wide open for an attack. This author feels that the third mistake would have been the most important factor. The Romans were fighting against one another because of poor leadership. It was poor leadership that was the fall of Rome. Conclusion All empires seem to have a natural lifecycle. As an empire grows stronger and stronger it also grows weaker. “As the growth of wealth and comfort undermine the values of character that led to the given empire’s creation through self-sacrifice and discipline in its initial stages, an empire increasingly grows weak and subject to destruction to forces arising inside or outside of it.”(Snow, n.d., p. 1) References Cox, K., Greenblatt, M., & Seaberg, S. (1981). Human Heritage A World History. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill. Snow, E. (n.d.). What is America’s DESTINY'. Retrieved September 25,2009, from http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/destiny-of-america.html