BellaOnline Forums Education History How Would It Have Been....

How would things have been different if the Roman empire did not fall when it did?

1. We would all be speaking Latin.
2. The Mediterranean Sea would be the cultural and financial center of the world.
3. The Roman Empire would likely extend from the Middle East throughout all of Europe to North and South America, possibly more.
4. There would be a Roman Emperor or Roman Republic form of government.
5. Christianity or Rome's pantheon of Gods would be the central world religion. Islam would not likely have emerged as a religion in the 8th century if the Roman Empire still ruled the Middle East at that time.

Good points. I agree that if Rome had kept up at the pace it was going, it would pretty have touched the whole world.


Do you think then that the Dark Ages would have even occurred?

The Dark Ages as it has often been defined, as a loss of intellectual knowledge, would not have happened. The Dark Ages began after the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Very true. Most people do not realize that that period was started by the collapse of the Roman Empire. The Romans thrived on art and knowledge. Once it fell, most people went the opposite direction and suppressed all of that. Talk about reactionary!

Let's take a different avenue....

How would it have been different if Hitler had achieved his dreams in art school?

He would have been a third rate artist in a very poor country. He would have been a starving artist.

That is difficult to answer for racism was common in Germany, Austria, and other European countries at that time.

Richard Wagner, 1813-1883, was a German composer, conductor, theatre director and essayist. He was looked upon as a national hero. He was considered a powerful political force and many politicians referred to him and his quotes as profound and true. Wagner had great influence on politicians, including Hitler. Wagner and Hitler had much in common. Their thoughts and beliefs were uncanningly similar - or Hitler just adopted Wagner's ideals.

They were both radical racists, artists and politicians. Each was acting under the fear of possibly having Jewish blood running in their veins, so their denial, frustration and hatred directed their actions and lives: destroy that which you hate/fear.

Thus - my point is that, if Hitler had not been, it is probable that someone else would have done the same horrible things he did, for powerful and influential people like Wagner would have rubbed off onto someone.

That is a most excellent observation. Most people, I think, would put it all on Hitler. I'm not saying he has an excuse for what he did, but in the end someone would have done what he did. It did not have to be specifically him. The fear of the Jews and the fear of being labeled a Jew was intense and fueled so much of the fires that burned at that time.

It didn't help at all that the entire country was smarting after WWI. Hitler just happened to be in the right place at the right time to answer a call that many in the country felt at that time.

A funny thought is that if there had been no war, my father would not have left Poland to join the RAF in England and he would not have met my English mother. It is very unsettling to think that I owe my existence to Hitler!

I never stopped and thought of all that. Though Hitler did some horrible (beyond horrible) things to people, some good things did come out of it.