Jd <Jd.fireball@att.net> wrote:

Look what happened to the Roman Empire.

Not a good example. It became Christian and went downhill quickly
thereafter.

(More seriously, the Roman Empire likely fell by a combination of
factors including lead poisoning of the water supply, economic
collapse caused by a system that relied on ever new waves of slaves
from expansion coupled with policies that allowed the children of
slaves to become free citizens, and barbarian incursions that were
thwarted only by hiring other barbarians and slaves who became
citizens in return for military service, so that when they no longer
could support such mercenary armies, they were left defenseless)

lojbab