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In the July issue of Last Chance Patriots, we profiled the seven factors that caused the near collapse of the Roman Empire in the third century. The Empire almost collapsed hundreds of years before it actually fell. This near collapse came in the period from A.D. 235-284.
The near collapse was caused by a number of factors:
- The problem of succession and civil war (Fragmentation)
- Natural disasters (a plague/pandemic, a mega-drought in western Asia) with an open northern border allowed the Germanic tribes to invade
- Debasement of the Currency and Hyperinflation
- Breakdown of internal trade networks
- Widespread civil unrest
- Falling revenues and increasing expenses of the Empire
- Increased militarization
Sound familiar? Just substitute the United States for the Roman Empire in this scenario. Let’s take a couple of these factors to see how the same issues are threatening America.
A failing economy was one of the primary causes of the near collapse. Driven by debasement of the currency and hyperinflation, life for the average Roman citizen became harsh and unbearable. Debasement of the currency is the wellhead from which flow all kinds of societal ills. Think about the connected issues: mental and physical health, food production and consumption, corruption and crime, safety and security. An ever-widening gulf forms between the wealthy and the impoverished. Society deteriorates. Foundations crumble.
For the average American citizen today, we are feeling some sympathy for the Romans of the Third Century. Our currency has been debased and our dollars cannot cover the expenses of our lives. Just look at a few items that illustrate the dilemma of average Americans over the last three and half years:
- Gasoline up 51%
- Electricity up 32%
- Airfare up 23%
- Groceries up 22%
- Rent up 22%
- Eggs up 47%
- Car insurance up 54%
With a national debt surpassing $35 trillion, inflation is affecting the majority of people in America. This extreme national debt is the engine driving inflation. And inflation is a regressive tax. It is disproportionally burdensome upon the middle and lower wage earners. Wages have not increased to compensate for the hidden tax of inflation (which according to government statistics stands at 20.2% over the last three and a half years).
Real average weekly wages have decreased. To maintain themselves, consumers are turning to credit cards. Currently consumers owe $1.142 trillion in credit card debt. The highest in history. Unsustainable. Traditional wisdom-- “It is easy to run into debt and difficult to crawl out.”
The ramifications of this debt are destructive on multiple levels. Consider just one strain of thought—family formation: Young men can’t afford to date. They can’t marry. They can’t begin families. They can’t buy homes. And this is just the beginning of issues related to runaway inflation.
Another factor in the near collapse was the invasion by foreign tribes. An open, unprotected border allowed the Germanic tribes from the north and east to invade the Roman Empire. They raided and looted regions of the Empire. The fragmentation of the Empire prevented a focused effort to defend the Empire and repel the invaders. Just as the Roman Empire faced invasion, America is facing its own invasion.
Senator Ted Cruz stated that 11.5 million people have crossed our borders illegally under the Biden administration. Cruz went on to state that the figure did not include another 1.7 gotaways. Over 12 million illegals. Of the states in the U.S., 40 states have less than 12 million in population. One senator recently reported that illegals have come from 178 countries. We have only 193 nations in the world! Do we have a problem?
More than you can possibly know. These illegal invaders represent drains and strains on local budgets. They are driving the rise in crime. They have been spread by the Biden administration over the nation to specific cities and regions. Why? Census!
The census is used to determine representation in the House of Representatives. That representation is determined not by citizenship, but by residence—how many people are living in a designated region. Those wanting to control the nation are playing a long game. They will secure a new allocation of representatives. And these will likely be Democrat representatives because of the nature of the population being imported and the “purchase” of the loyalty of the new residents. The governing philosophy shifts toward a permanent reorientation. Is this too cynical?
What kept the Roman Empire from collapsing in the third century? Leadership.
Aurelian and Diocletian: Saviors of the Roman Empire
Two figures emerged from this tumultuous period and played pivotal roles in restoring and reshaping the Empire into a more robust and resilient entity: Aurelian and Diocletian. Aurelian, ruled from 270 to 275 AD. He is often credited with beginning the restoration of the Empire. Two threats faced the Empire during this crisis of the third century:
1) the invasion by the tribes to the north and
2) a civil war that saw two breakaway factions--the Gallic and Palmyrene Empires.
The Gallic Empire was in the western Roman Empire. The Palmyrene Empire was in the Eastern Roman Empire. Invasion and civil war—Aurelian took them on.
Aurelian was a military genius who focused on repelling invading tribes that threatened the Empire's stability. He successfully defeated the invading Goths, Alamanni, and Vandals. He re-conquered the Gallic and Palmyrene Empires, effectively reunifying the Roman Empire.
This military success not only restored Rome's territorial integrity but also bolstered the morale of the Roman legions and populace. Economically, Aurelian understood the importance of a strong and stable currency. He introduced a new silver coin, the antoninianus, which was intended to combat the rampant inflation and currency devaluation that had plagued the Empire.
While this reform had limited success due to his short reign, it set a precedent for monetary reform that was later adopted by Diocletian. Diocletian ruled from 284 to 305 AD. Recognizing the Empire's vastness and diversity as a governance challenge, he introduced a radical reform known as the Tetrarchy, or 'rule of four.' He split the Empire into two, each half governed by an Augustus (senior emperor) assisted by a Caesar (junior emperor).
This administrative division allowed for more efficient governance, addressing the issue of civil fragmentation. Diocletian implemented substantial economic reforms. He expanded Aurelian's efforts to stabilize the currency and introduced systematic taxation based on a regular census, which improved the Empire's fiscal position. The effects of Aurelian and Diocletian's reforms were profound and long-lasting. They provided the Empire with a new lease on life, setting the stage for the stability and relative prosperity of the Fourth Century.
Their reorganization of the Empire, particularly under Diocletian, also paved the way for the continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as Byzantium. While the Western Roman Empire fell in AD 476, the Eastern Empire persevered, thanks in large part to the administrative and economic systems put in place by Diocletian. Aurelian and Diocletian played crucial roles in saving and transforming the Roman Empire during the Third Century Crisis. Through military victories, economic reforms, and administrative reorganization, they pulled Rome back from the brink of collapse and shaped its future.
What will keep America from collapsing? Leadership! We are faced with the most pivotal election in generations. The choice we make will determine not just what our future will look like but whether we will have a future at all.
by Charles Garner
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