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Ancient Rome vs. United States If someone were to ask me the question of whether Ancient Rome and the United States were similar, my first reaction to their question would be to answer, “Yes”. Both of the empires have similar strengths and weaknesses. So with reason, I would say that the United States, being that it is so similar, might eventually fall as Rome did, mainly due to the same problems. Ancient Rome was a great empire with great citizens, much like the United States of today, but like Rome we too have similar downfalls and strengths.
First, let’s start with the system of government. Ancient Rome was a republic, a form of government much like our system of democracy. Romans that were seeking office had to gain approval of the public just like our Presidents do. However there is one small difference. Ancient Romans were more of robots under the Emperor, and often described by the officials as the “mob”. Second, there is much similarity in recreation and entertainment between the two empires.
In Ancient Rome, the public was obsessed with the gladiatorial games and the theatre. Those gladiatorial games are merely only more violent versions of our football games or wrestling matches, which we seem to have to same unhealthy addiction to ourselves. In Rome, they went to things called “baths” to work out and relax. These baths are what today we would call our version of a health club. Especially today when the focus of beauty is on the body, health clubs are almost as popular as Ancient Rome’s baths.
Lastly, the Roman way of thinking is very much like the American mentality of today. Whether one would admit it or not, America has a slight case of imperialism. Also, the attitude of being better or superior to others and other countries is very much like the attitude of the Ancient Romans. For example, when the tiny country of Carthage became even the smallest threat, the Romans made sure to stomp them out. The United States has this kind of power too. We always make sure that we are on top.
There are so many similarities between Ancient Rome and the United States that I could not even begin to cover them in a one page paper. The United States resembles Ancient Rome in things from government, to entertainment, to population and cultural make-up. So if things keep going they way they have been in the Unites States, and we continue to share the many similarities of the ancient city, we might just end up like the great ancient city of Rome, extinct.