Expert: Maria - 12/8/2007

Question
what is one factor that led to the fall of western roman empire,that could lead to the fall of the USA.

I have some idea,like Barberians....but a little help is helpfull.

Answer
Hello,

The main factors which led to the fall of the great Roman Empire in 476 AD were the following:

1-changes in population, moral decadence and  decline from the ideals of political and intellectual freedom  that had characterized the Roman people: in short corruption of   customs and morality.

2- the despotism and ineptitude of the last Roman Emperors.

3-economic decay, class and religious divisions, owing to the religious conflict between the traditional gods and  Christian faith which was spreading. In fact, earlier religious systems tottered and everything was in the process of struggle and disintegration.

4- the enormous extension of the Empire which caused internal difficulties because the Roman Legions could not defend the borders effectively against invading barbarians and moreover an effective communication with officials and legions to control the empire had become  impossible, due to the enormous distances.

5-finally the barbarian invasions, though however the Roman Empire was already weak by the time the barbarian Goths, Franks, Vandals, Suebi, Lombards, Saxons, and various German tribes entered the Roman borders first as mercenary soldiers hired for service in the Roman legions  and later as invading nations that, after exerting pressure on the Roman borders, began to enter the Roman Empire to settle on vacant lands, so that this gradual infiltration turned into a rushing invasion since Rome's inability to stop the waves of intruders had become  evident.
Therefore, when the invasions were over, the invaders  established new states on the ruins of the Roman Empire of the West, like the Ostrogothic kingdom under Theodoric and the Lombard kingdom in Italy, the Visigothic/ Vandal kingdom in Spain and in Africa, the  Frankish kingdom in Gaul, and the  Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Britain.

As for the comparison you seem to make between the Roman Empire and the USA, I really think that  there's no comparison,  since I do not believe that someone can support this thesis which to me seems to be absolutely wrong.
In fact, first of all we cannot compare the enormous extension of the Roman Empire (see below) to the United States which is not an empire; second, I really  think  it's impossible to make a comparison  between so different  historical periods.

Best regards,
Maria
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The Roman Empire at its apogee in the 2nd.century AD under  the emperor Trajan  comprised many countries from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Black Sea: in EUROPE Italy of course, as Rome is just in Italy,  England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, France, Western Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria; in ASIA  Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Arabia; in AFRICA  Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt.