[Pelham]

“rather scripture does say he will rise out of Europe...”

The Roman Empire fell in the West around AD 476. But the Roman Empire continued to survive in the East for another thousand years, finally conquered by Islam in 1453. There is no necessity for the “Roman Empire” to mean Europe. It can also mean the middle eastern region of Byzantium where the Empire survived the longest.

[Das Outsider]

Or it could mean something altogether different. You are correct on both points: dispelling the notion that modern-day Europe has anything to do with the matter and that the old Empire must necessarily refer to the ancient seat of power--even though I have my admittedly biased conclusion as to the identity of the Antichrist.

(Hint: Rhymes with orange.)