It could be worse: decimation, anarchy and plague
Ask Judge Smith
In 49 A.D., Julius Caesar, a charismatic leader, became Rome’s dictator for life, which lasted five years until he was assassinated. Afterward, what was left of Rome’s republic teetered for 17 years while would-be dictators aligned, conspired, and fought among themselves to become Rome’s undisputed leader.
In 27 B.C., Augustus, Caesar’s grand-nephew and adopted son, became emperor for life. Augustus was smart, level headed, and a talented organizer. He united Rome, greatly expanded its reach, and ruled effectively for 41 years.
Just how big of a deal were Caesar and Augustus? Over 2,000 years later two months of our annual calendar, July and August, are named for them.
The Roman Empire spanned over 500 years, but after Augustus few emperors enjoyed long or distinguished reigns. For one 75-year stretch, over 20 men served as emperor, usually acquiring their positions by murdering their predecessors. Being emperor was an all-powerful but short-lived occupation.
Notwithstanding frequent instability at the top, the Roman Empire achieved much. Rome built and serviced roads and wharves throughout the empire, which facilitated travel and commerce. It built aqueducts, some of which are still standing, that supplied reliable potable water.
In addition to providing law, stable government, and police power throughout the empire, Rome instituted a welfare state that provided bread for the poor. Over the centuries, the taxes Rome collected funded the empire’s infrastructure and raised the standard of living for millions of its inhabitants.
However, those taxes also fueled world conquest and endless bloodshed. Rome conquered many peoples, killing, enslaving, or subjugating them in the process. For conquered peoples, it was a matter of assimilation or annihilation.
Sometimes rebellions against Roman authority arose in its provinces. Rome eliminated rebellions with ruthless efficiency through the practice of decimation. Rather than killing every person suspected of treason, Rome simply lined them up, counted them off, and executed every 10th man.
The method of execution was purposely horrific, often by scourging or crucifixion. This practice allowed nine-tenths of suspected offenders to survive and continue serving the empire. It also persuaded them to behave or be next.
Rome fell in 476 A.D. due to government corruption, a soft economy, and an over-reliance on foreign soldiers. It was overrun by invading barbarians who raped, pillaged, and created widespread and long-lasting anarchy. Thus, depending on the circumstances, having a bad government may be preferable to having no government at all.
The Roman Empire was replaced by the feudal system and society stagnated. Afterward, Europe endured 1,000 years of the Middle Ages until successive waves of bubonic plague, mankind’s deadliest pandemic yet, killed half of its population.
The Honorable J. Layne Smith is a circuit judge and author of the Amazon internationally bestselling book “Civics, Law, and Justice—How We Became U.S.” Email your questions to askjudgesmith@gmail.com.
