Question 5

The Roman Empire was a huge world power during its early development. It influenced other countries and fought its way to the top. The United States also has history like this. The United States today, questions our leader or president’s authority, just as the Romans have done to the emperor in the past. The United States has taxes, just as the Roman’s did. The United States also has a large rate of immigrants or people wanting to come into the country. These all can relate to the Roman Empire and the struggle it had as well. The United States is a modern day “Roman Empire” because of the influence it has over different nations and the difficulties it faces as a country with in.  

The Roman Empire had many leaders over the course of its democracy. This is because the people doubted their leaders, just as some in the United States may do today. The United States has a president, which is easily compared to the task of an emperor. As a president it is no surprised to be doubted by the people you control. An example of the people questioning the president in modern day time is in the, Opalika- Auburn News, “I am concerned about the fact that the recovery we are on is not producing jobs as quickly as I want it to happen.”(Christopher, 2011) This is a quote from current U.S president Barack Obama. He is replying to the worry that not as many jobs are to be produced in the Nation. He is also replying to the job loss rates that are getting worse. There were many times in Rome’s history when the people of Rome have doubted their emperor, thinking that the conditions may get worse. An emperor that compares to the current president today, Barack Obama, is Tiberius. Tiberius promised a lot to the people of Rome, but at first did not deliver, so they began to doubt him. He promised to give them more than they had acquired. Just as in the quote above, the people started to doubt President Obama. Doubting the president or emperor, often occurred in Rome and now currently in the United States; thus bringing together the similarities between Rome and the United States.

A current event that also relates to an event that occurred in Rome is the retirement of someone or allowing someone else to take over. This happened in an elementary school in the United States, when a dean of students decided to step down. An example of how this relates to Rome is when the emperor Nerva is told to step up as emperor. Just like the man who will replace this school dean. It may not be a big as step as becoming emperor, but it relates to the passing on of power. It occurs every day in the United States. A quote that supports this statement is from the dean himself, “There’s no doubt a building this large has some unique opportunities and challenges.”(Linda,2011) This quote describes what it is like to lead a community, in Rome’s case a country.

A final example of how the U.S is a modern day Roman Empire is the conflict with Iraq. As Rome had problems with other countries, so did the United States. Rome was often fought between the Spartans and Athenians. The United States tried to move into Iraq. These two world power used they’re power. A quote from Judith Kipper on the Iraq problem is, “the American media … never bothered to look on the side of the road … to see what was happening to the Iraqis."(Elizabeth, 2007)

The conflicts, problems and tradition the Roman Empire had, reflects in the United States today. These two world powers were a like in many ways. They quarreled with other countries, changed their rulers and even questioned they’re authority. There are not only modern conflicts outside of the United States that supports how it is a modern “Roman Empire”, also inside its own country conflicts can arise.

Works Cited

Christopher, Rugaber. (2011). Nation should "not panic".

Linda, Vanderwerf. (2011). Nathan cox selected to be new principle at rosevelt elementary school.

Elizabeth, Hurley. (2007). "sincere effort being made to tell the whole iraq story".