[keving]

The Roman Empire spanned over 2000 years from 753 BC until 1453 AD. Where did you get your info?

[Pikachu_Dad]

He said, “the Republic”. Those later years were as a dictatorship!

[Gaffer]

Off hand, I’d say the gist of the inclusion of the Roman Empire with respect to the thesis of the article meant ‘Roman Empire’ as a unified, well-functioning entity.

I’d tend to think that during some of the latter parts of the dates you cite, the Roman Empire was more dysfunctional and waning - just like our country now.

[jjotto]

Uh, the Roman Empire is conventionally understood as starting with Julius Caesar in the “post-Republican” era.

By 200 AD, it was not the same civilization, as Victor Davis Hanson correctly points out. By 300 AD, it was clearly in decline.