Is it? Well, perhaps - both were preceeded by politicians that had already killed the republic, and destroyed their respective constitutions through excessive regulation and usurpation of power.
The Res Publica, “That thing of the People”, was the roman constitution (under the republic. Under the Julio-Claudian empire, not so much).
So ... will Barry’s handicapped uncle follow him in power, after the Praeterian Guard kills him in the coluseum? Will Auntie Z come out of her public housing, to assume the Presidency? Will Obama Make his horse, Incitatus, a senator?
(Strike that last - Biden is already president of the Senate.)
No! his horse is the health nag. She plants organic gardens. She certainly is a horses ass and has the backside to prove it!
‘Well, perhaps - both were preceeded by politicians that had already killed the republic, and destroyed their respective constitutions through excessive regulation and usurpation of power.’
Of course our Republic may have ended years ago. We just may not yet know.
‘will Barry’s handicapped uncle follow him in power,’
I think that Rev Write would constitute a handicapped uncle. A mentally handicapped uncle perhaps? Zatuni could be the new first lady. She would marry anyone to get that green card.
As for the Praetorian Guard. I have to admit the idea did put a brief but guilty smile on my face.
I just finished reading Lustrum by Robert harris and I strongly recommend that book -- it's incredibly true to history and is un-put-downable as well!
I knew most of the dry facts, but the way in which the author made the people come alive is fascinating
you are right that the preceding politicians had already killed the republic starting with the Gracchi brothers who started the practise of giving out free bread -- which led to the people getting lazy and demanding more from the state than what they gave
And then you have the line Marius-Sulla-Pompey-Caesar all moving towards the end of the republic
Harris' book really brings Caesar alive as a man of boundless ambition. I always wondered how a guy like Caesar could have outmaneuvered a successful general like Pompey. the politics described in the book are fascinating and give you a psychological portrait of Caesar.
The Roman Republic was doomed from the moment it starting distributing free food -- the people started asking for more and more and the Generals started competing among themselves over who could give them more.
The Principate was a good was to cover this up, but after the crisis of the 3rd century, I think Domitian had no other alternative but to really revert to Kingship.
But Biden is only the horse’s hind quarters ~