How to Work Together Like Early Rome || Bonus Video
As the global order breaks apart, countries and communities that can incorporate the learnings from early Rome can weather the storm much better than others. We're talking about integrating economies, infrastructure, and security.
The hilltop settlements around Rome abandoned the fighting for a much more prosperous endeavour: cooperation. By drawing upon the strengths of each settlement, the group became stronger together, eventually forming one of history's most successful empires.
If you project that forward to the present day, regions like Southeast Asia or the Southern Cone of South America could benefit greatly. Combining strong economic ties, complementary resources, and countless other variables, these groups would be equipped to thrive in a more fragmented world.
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Comments (22)
Rome formed out of two founding groups Mythologized as Romulus and Remus. But in reality the Etruscans ( who we now know from ancient DNA were really Trojans that left Troy prior to it's destruction), and a Greek Colony (displayed after wars between Greek City States). They found common ground, intermarried eventually and this is prior to what you are describing. The fact that these two displaced people that had previously fought and were completely different yet similar, like twin brothers who fight yet make up, snd help each other, is perhaps the better analogy for us.
Aren't you glossing over conflicts in South Asia. Pol Pot in Cambodia. The war Trump settled between Thailand and Malaysia. The ongoing Myanmar civil unrest, the Slaughter of communists in Indonesia after the independence revolt. The Vietnam war, the Laos secret US bases. I could go on and on but you get the idea. Painting this area as always peaceful is just not reality.
Hmmmm …. there were more slaves in Rome than Citizens.
Thanks for the fantastic bonus video analysis. I would like to see part 2 on whether or not the mini hubs of trade can co-ordinate.
You didn't mention romulus and remus? 😁 Any chance we're going to get a video comparing the current trajectory of the US to the fall of Rome? That whole greed and corruption thing seems rather relevant these days.
Thank you for the insights and thought-provoking discussion. Walked your path in Rome for 30 days in March/April this year before it got hot. While marveling at what the Romans built, it dawned on me that a culture of cooperation and mercantile ambition, slowly turned into one of subjugated (i.e., slave) labor to achieve their pinnacles of success (China today?). In the equation of who succeeds in the world, it is as much culture as it is geography. The Romans garnered the hate of the people on their periphery which in part led to the sacking of Rome a few times. As you point out here, and in your books, the potential certainly exists for the South American cone, but is the Latin culture capable of rising above patriarchal power structures, corruption, and abuses of human rights? It seems that culture will perpetuate the cycle you observe by default. Similarly, in Southeast Asia, where is the culture of anything other than authoritarian rule? Australia has much potential but seems to be self-destructing along the lines of Alexis de Tocqueville's premise of a government learning to bribe the public with the public's money - I lived there on & off for ten years. Long term, I think cooperation depends most on the stability of like-minded cultures, and I don't know where that leaves us.
Not sure how to take your "good thing climate change is a myth" comment. I hope it is a sarcastic joke. I'm sure you've talked about it before, but I missed it...
It's a joke. Also something for his MAGA followers to just swallow whole undigested.
One recalls the civil wars between the patricians and the plebs, the fun times when the Gracchi were assassinated for proposing land reform, oh, and the even cooler times of Marius and Sulla. Of course, I also recall how Romulus 'flew up to the Gods' when he apparently became too much to bear.
Bet PZ loves Monte Python
Would like to consider BRICS, SCO, CELAC, CARICOM, the new configuration in the Sahel, the Bolivarian movement etc.
I have been living in S. America for more than. a decade now. If Argentina just stopped shooting itself in the head over and over it would be a country to be noted. And Milei is not a fix to that, he's just shooting them in a (slightly) new way. Other Latinos are not always huge fans of the Argentines and Chileans, but there is a lot of opportunity their if they can get their shit together.
Argentina looks like a good investment bet every ten years. Then about a year and a half later, they fall apart and everyone's investment goes to hell. Argentinian bonds were a byword for a scam as early as the Lord Peter Wimsey novels.
what Peter does not get: Climate Breakdown will turn South East Asia into a Hell hole heat and humidity, not a great combination
💯 cooperation and integration > opposition and isolationism
Thank you Peter Z ! Fascinating and fun to listen and watch you on your travels!
In 1978 I wrote my senior thesis on Tiberius Gracchus and the Lex Agria of 133 BC. This is the first time in almost 50 years that it has derived some degree of comtemporary relevancy. Heart felt thanks from an old History major.
Thanks for the bonus video Peter...and the refreshing perspective...
Umm.... Thai and Cambodians don't really get on. Granted compared with Russians and Poles i(and the rest of Europe) its like pocket change.
The Thai-Cambodian relation is at its lowest point. You also have situations between Cambodia-Vietnam with historical distrust and occasional open friction.
What have the Romans ever done for us? https://youtu.be/Qc7HmhrgTuQ?is=x4fBXDkIttKwn7yX
Hilarious