The Roman Empire reborn?

[Jeremius]

I have a thought experiment for you.  What would it take to have the Roman Empire (or Republic) make a comeback?  What bare minimums would recreate a recognizable Roman Empire?  Here are a few I brainstormed:

1. Must contain city of Rome

2. Latin official language of government

3.  Roman Senate active

4. Army using Roman terms. Legion = division, Cohort = battalion, century = company.  Dux = 3-star general, etc

 

Further questions:

1. Would there be an official religion?  I don’t think there would have to be.  Maybe nominally Catholic in the west.  Tolerance for all faiths would probably be the law.

2.  Who would be considered a citizen?  Everyone?

3.  Would slavery exist?  It’s hard to imagine Rome without it but the point of this experiment, after all, is a modern Rome.

 

[caldrail]

The city of Rome might seem essential but history proves otherwise, as the Romans created or moved capitals whenever they felt the need. Latin would not be necessary either since the lingua franca of the historical empire was Greek. Since religion only became 'official' in the empire to support political unity in the 4th century, one can readily see why such a move might re-appear. A new government could entitle whoever they like as citizens.

Slavery has never gone away. I don't like the current rend for demonising the past (witness Colston's statue getting a dip in the harbour courtesy of an angry mob) - it's moral cowardice attacking statues that never represented slavery anyway. Attacking slavers is a bit harder. You have to find them and when you  do, they might well get aggressive and indeed might come well-armed.

Edited October 21, 2020 by caldrail

[Miloslavius]

Maybe it is necessary to live as a modern Civis Romanus. The modern design of the Constitution of the Imperium Romanum was published at http://members.fortunecity.it/optimus/page4.html in 2004 .

Tthis address is unavailable today.

The chapters of the Constitution were: Preamble  We, the People of Rome. We adopt the following Constitution:The constitution had  nine chapters and ninety nine articles. Chapter I The Emperor. Chapter IX Supreme Law.

The whole text is in the attachment:

The Constitution of the Imperium Romanorum.pdf

Edited April 16, 2021 by Miloslavius

[Miloslavius]

The Romans visited the province of Pannonia Superior in the hot summer of August 5, 2022.Roma Eterna! Salve! We heard from the ship and the Danube Bay near Beatislava.  The Romans from Autopolis ingolstadt also visit part of Pannonia Inferior.

/Photo Pravda/.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Miloslavius

[Novosedoff]

On 10/15/2020 at 7:15 AM, Jeremius said:

I have a thought experiment for you.  What would it take to have the Roman Empire (or Republic) make a comeback?  What bare minimums would recreate a recognizable Roman Empire?  Here are a few I brainstormed:

1. Must contain city of Rome

2. Latin official language of government

3.  Roman Senate active

4. Army using Roman terms. Legion = division, Cohort = battalion, century = company.  Dux = 3-star general, etc

 

[Miloslavius]

Thank you for your question.  The original state of the borders and the composition of the population would have to exist, if only for one minute.  Then there would be one law after another such as human rights, the constitution, the emperor as a symbol of the unity of the people, the army, finance, taxes.

[caldrail]

Army using Roman terms? Oh it'll need something more radical. Rome did not use a national army - too risky to put all the nation's military power under one commander. Each legion was a self contained army all of its own, even in the late empire, though regional armies were developing with permanent command of their own.

Do you really want your politicians commanding military force? Imagine Donal Trump having the right to lead four legions of US Marines based in Florida?