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I've always thought about the fall of an empire as the moment the bureaucratic wheels seize to function and the shared cultural values fall apart. If a new war
by christkv 5y ago
I've always thought about the fall of an empire as the moment the bureaucratic wheels seize to function and the shared cultural values fall apart.
If a new war lord storms in but just sets themselves on the throne with the machinery in place the empire staggers on culturally and bureaucratically.
A mongol like situation and the whole structure and culture is shattered.
Rome in 476 I think had a broken bureaucratic system and shattered culture.
The Byzantines kept that stuff in place until the final fall of Constantinople.
- EarthLaunch 5y ago> wheels seize to function It's 'cease' but I can't imagine a more appropriate use of seize, as it's a wheel/gears metaphor!
- christkv 5y agoThe dangers of typing on an iphone SE :)
- thaumasiotes 5y ago> A mongol like situation and the whole structure and culture is shattered. The Mongols were more of the putting-themselves-on-the-top type of invader. Almost all conquerors are. (Though it's true that wasn't the Mongols' original intent -- see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yel%C3%BC_Chucai https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yel%C3%BC_Chucai ) Where did they insert their own culture in the place of their subjects'?