[Lee N. Field]

We are Rome in so many ways.

In Augustine's City of God (written 412-426) he's often discuss people and incidents from Roman history. It's striking to me how familiar it all sounds. Names of people and wars and such are different, of course, but behaviors and intrigues are the same.

We are them, they are us.

[BipolarBob]

One of the lessons of Rome is that the life of extreme privilege weakens the capacity for empathy, which makes persecution of outsiders more plausible.

This reminds me of one particular politician who aspired to be god President who called conservatives "deplorables".

[Persevero]

There is nothing new under the sun.

[lepton]

Thanks for mentioning that. I’ll look into it.