Late Republic, America today

I have often wondered if the modern day United States is traveling down the path that the Later Republican Romans were headed down. The late Republic had achieved Hegemony (supremacy, leading role ) in the whole western world after defeating Carthage, Gaul, and Alexander's successors in the east. America has achieved hegemony after Europe was weakened during two world wars, and Russia was economically crushed during the cold war. But today, like our Roman counterparts, we have some of the weakest and most unfocused leadership that we have ever had. Conservatives believe that the leadership has socially and economically betrayed it's base, and secular socialist as well as liberals feel that they have not seen the country move into the direction they want as fast. The senate approval, as in ancient Rome, has plummeted. Americans, as well as the ancient Romans, feel that our leaders have become detached from the common people, and will further their own goals no matter who is voted in. Are we at a pivotal changing point, as our Republican Roman predecessors were?

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry republican roman)

Ancient worldz Thracians

Thracians were one of the oldest eastern Europeans peoples, to inhabit that area. They were fierce warriors, and were known for their metal work and light infantry mercenaries.

Herodotus describes the Thracians "They went to the war wearing the skins of foxes upon their heads, and about their bodies tunics, over which was thrown a long cloak of many colours. Their legs and feet were clad in buskins made from the skins of fawns; and they had for arms javelins, with light targes, and short dirks. This people, after crossing into Asia, took the name of Bithynians"

The Bithynians settled in the City of Byzantium, which would one day become Constantinople (after the Roman Emperor Constantine). The Thracians would found the city that would one day become the capital of the Roman Empire(along with Greeks), and eventually the Byzantine Empire ( Rome's surviving half in the East).

What greater legacy could a people leave than creating the city that would become the seat of the greatest Empire of the time.

They were eventually run over by successive waves of Macedonians, Dacians, Sarmatians and Slavs

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry thracians)

Ancient Assyrians

I have always been fascinated by the ancient Assyrians because of their capacity for cruelty and for their technological and cultural advancement the coexisted with their vary warlike civilization.

The Assyrians were perhaps one of the cruelest civilisations to have existed. Their kings boasted of skinning people alive and assembling massive piles of heads in front of cities. Plundering and raping nations was just the beginning of an invasion with this ancient empire.

Do you think Americans could become this cruel?

(These are some of the first miniatures I painted for building an ancient army:)

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry Assyrians)

Greek City States

All Democracies and republics will become oligarchies, and all oligarchies will become tyrannies over time. :(

The people do not have the political will to stay in power for very long and will turn to an oligarchy for the mundane role of running a nation-state. Over time the oligarchy will decrease in size, and become corrupt. Then the nation will turn to a single ruler to end the corruption, and restore order.

COULD THIS HAPPEN TODAY?

i think so

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry greek miniatures)

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Here are two pictures of one of my imperial Roman minis from the reign of Trajan. Also, I have included a picture of my whole Republican Roman army.

(They are all 28mm foundry, or crusader miniatures figures)

Ancient Romans have been one of my favorite subjects since the time I was very young. Out of all ancient peoples they seemed to be the most like Americans. Both of our nations (some say empires) started out as a heaven for outcasts and misfits. We were a subject of the British Empire, Rome was subservient to the Etruscans; and then we both overthrew our masters and created a Republic!

Both Romans and Americans were problem solvers and inventors; Americans may not be the greatest academics, but we can see a problem, and adapt to it, and find a solution. The Romans were the same way if not more so, they invented modern urban planing, and created countless inventions to deal with the large populations of cities(aqueducts, massive sanitary systems, food handouts, mass entertainment). Even as the massive Roman Empire crumbled they managed to adapt and change to keep the whole thing running. They knew they could not maintain the massive empire on the highly skilled loyal heavy infantrymen, which took a stable empire to back them up.Yet, a new approach was developing. Third century Emperors spent little time at Rome, often spending most of their careers in the frontier provinces where the action was. Naturally enough they tended to take their court around with them and attached to this was the comitatus or 'companions', at first (perhaps under Gallienus in mid-century) an assemblage of cavalry units possibly intended to form a highly mobile central reserve which would enable the Emperor to respond rapidly to any new incursions (or usurpations?) that might arise. Many such field armies were created to replace the legions. No longer was Rome defended by hundreds of thousands of heavy infantry men who could defeat any nations armies in pitched battles; but her armies were now comprised of small cavalry and light infantry units that could be trained more easily in turbulent times, and were effective at repulsing barbarian raids.

Moreover, both America and ancient Rome were (are) meritocracies. Out of all the socities that have existed Rome and America are the two that anyone could rise from the lowest of ranks to the highest places of power.

Welcome to ancient worldz

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog.!!!!!!!!!:)

In this blog I will discuss my views on the ancient world, and how they relate to the modern world, and some rather unique views on the past.

I will also post pictures of my 28mm soldiers which I sometimes fanatically paint.

You will hear again from me soon

Thanks soooooooooo much :).