To some extent at least, any country/empire/polity is a ship of theseus. Is the US the same polity that was founded by the American revolutionaries? The geogra

To some extent at least, any country/empire/polity is a ship of theseus. Is the US the same polity that was founded by the American revolutionaries? The geography is more different than similar. The social order (eg slavery, voting rights) changed. The political system (from pre/post civil war) changed. Is it still the same ship? How about "England" or "Britain." Is the UK a successor to Alfred's kingdom? Successor to the Norman empire (Cyprus, Lebanon, Sicily, Jerusalem, Normandy...)? Lines of continuity and discontinuity are usually narrative and subjective. Ultimately, the reason western historians considered the Byzantines separate is because (a) they spoke Greek and (b) they didn't have Italy and (c) there were/are western claimants to the "successor of Rome" seat.