what are some parallels between us and ancient rome?

[Jesus Cake]

Few I can think of I'm sure there are more:

1.) Leading super powers of the world (or known world).

2.) Both have representative government or republic (although the Romans eventually was overthrown by a Monarchy and it wasn't nearly as representative as the US... it was mostly an aristocracy lead by rich people).

3.) Both have been involved in empire building.

4.) Both have western cultures inherited from Greece.

5.) Both are predominantly Christian (Romans were first nation to make Christianity their official religion. The US is secular but the vast majority of population is Christian. Christianity has had a long history in US politics).

I think ancient Rome is a great area to study and compare against the United States as they do have some very strong parallels.

I find it really interesting how Rome started out as a small territory that slowly assimilated or conquered its neighbors, becoming larger and larger, passing from victory to victory but eventually it's own greatness and power succumbed to massive amounts of corruption, disorder and chaos that eventually destroyed it. Does the US have a similar fate in store for itself?

As Rome's territory expanded the risks and rewards of Roman politics became greater and greater (greater than any nation in the world at that time). That huge attraction to politics and the powers it could grant to politicians and those that made deals with them led to major changes in political strategy that created serious (eventually fatal) political instability. One wonders if the same things are happening to the US right now with rumors of Haliburton, oil and unpopular foreign policy, etc.