Farley on Nostr: Did Rome really fall, especially when we consider how power might have morphed rather ...
Did Rome really fall, especially when we consider how power might have morphed rather than vanished? Rome’s "fall" traditionally marks the collapse of its political and military dominance in the West, but culturally, religiously, and even financially, the spirit of Rome arguably found a new form of influence through the Catholic Church and the Vatican. This shift allowed Rome’s legacy to persist in a subtler, yet potentially far-reaching way.
While the Roman Empire fractured under external pressures and internal decay, the Church rose in prominence, building on Roman law, governance, and structure, and continued Rome’s legacy through faith and doctrine rather than armies and emperors. The Vatican, especially during the Middle Ages, became a center of influence, shaping kings and empires through religious authority, political alliances, and economic resources. So, while the *Empire* fell, one could argue that the *Roman legacy* transformed, adopting religion as its new vehicle of influence.
This perspective invites us to question the nature of power and how it adapts to changing times. The Roman Empire may have been declared dead, but Rome’s reach seems to have survived, perhaps as something even more elusive and resilient.
While the Roman Empire fractured under external pressures and internal decay, the Church rose in prominence, building on Roman law, governance, and structure, and continued Rome’s legacy through faith and doctrine rather than armies and emperors. The Vatican, especially during the Middle Ages, became a center of influence, shaping kings and empires through religious authority, political alliances, and economic resources. So, while the *Empire* fell, one could argue that the *Roman legacy* transformed, adopting religion as its new vehicle of influence.
This perspective invites us to question the nature of power and how it adapts to changing times. The Roman Empire may have been declared dead, but Rome’s reach seems to have survived, perhaps as something even more elusive and resilient.