Empires, Empire Building, and Wisdom

Ultimately, the demise of every Empire that ever has straddled the earth like a colossus can be linked to Empire Building — the desire and decision to expand borders of the Empire ad infinitum. In this respect, in it’s decision not just to accept tribute from Greece, but also to subjugate Greeks, the Medo-Persian Empire met it’s Waterloo, lost it’s grip on affairs of life on earth. Note Greek city states were willing to pay tribute in gold to Xerxes; it was subjugation that they were unwilling to accept.

The desire, on part of Sparta, to rule over it’s Greek neighbor, Athens, led to a war of attrition, a war that would result in emergence of Philip of Macedon as ruler of the world. If Alexander the Great, Philip’s heir had not attempted a conquest of India, he probably would have lived to a grand old age. The division of his empire among his generals would result in emergence of Rome as world Empire.

If the Western Roman Empire had left Britain well enough alone, perhaps it would have had more resources at it’s disposal for fighting off of the Visigoths. The demise of the Western Roman Empire, which already was fait accompli by 476 AD, would precede that of the Eastern Roman Empire by almost a Millennium.

If the Christian Byzantine Empire (CBE), which doubled as the Eastern Roman Empire, had not, subsequent to 1055 AD gotten…