But, the medieval world was the result after the collapse occurred. In the early republic you had a lot of citizen farmers, by the end the land was all owned b

But, the medieval world was the result after the collapse occurred. In the early republic you had a lot of citizen farmers, by the end the land was all owned by a small number of ultra wealthy patricians and the rest were slaves. And as the collapse happened the estates of the wealthy Romans led directly into the walled feudal estates. So you’re kind of proving my point. It was a fragmented and disconnected world, without the long distance commerce and bonds that make for a higher level of civilization. Slowly as people escaped into the cities, longer connections knit themselves back together and the feudal age gave way, things began moving forward again. And “discussions of rich and poor” don’t happen in a vacuum, they occur in response to some real problem. People do flock to strongman dictators in times of crisis, it’s true. They follow anyone who promises them safety and a return to the Good Old Days. Caesar I’m sure promised to Make Rome Great Again.