Here we go again…the
fall of Empires.
For me one of the
benefits of the writer’s strike this holiday season, was that we were treated to a greater variety of Classical Epic
Movies, some of which have not been broadcast for years. Some focused primarily on the birth of the Christ, while others were
more subtle in their references to the advent and instead provided more historical details about the overall Roman Empire.
Last night it was the movie, THE ROBE. I personally found this movie most fitting as another year comes to an end, and we
prepare for Pluto to move into Capricorn.
The generally accepted
affect of Pluto through the signs is Transformation. Pluto teaches us about consequences, especially as they relate to Power
and Sustainability. As waste and wantonness ultimately leads to decline and destruction, Pluto also insists that that which
destroys must itself be destroyed. As planetary ruler of the Scorpio sign, Pluto often works in mysterious ways. At times
it creates destruction through volcanic intensity, while at other times it works as a process of gradual erosion and degrading
of circumstances and people that are in need of transformation and renewal. And while astronomers have chosen to strip Pluto
of its stature as an actual planet, astrologers are not fooled by the attempt to diminish its power. As a heavenly body, Pluto
still has as much influence over us as the Sun or Moon.
The last occurrence
of Pluto in Capricorn was during the American Revolution in the 18th century and those of us alive today have not
previously traveled this road. It is predicted to be a bumpy road, to say the least. This particular cycle will be in effect
for the next 16 years, straight through until 2024, and is predicted to be a period when structures will fail, societies
will decline and governments will fall. And while our astrological records
do not go back that far, I suspect that this was part of the influence that witnessed the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
Many historians and authors have compared that time to what is actually happening now on a global scale. History proves that
people never learn from past mistakes and certain cycles and patterns tend to repeat themselves despite our so-called evolution.
[It should be understood that evolution is not always ascending, but rather it is subject to times of expansion and times
of restriction.] This upcoming astrological influence will initiate another period of significant change and upheaval
especially since this transit occurs so infrequently.
In the movie The
Robe, some commonly accepted causes of Rome’s decline are featured including the abuse of power and wealth, the use
of slavery, debauchery and moral decline and the emergence of Christianity. In my own research I found many additional
references to contributing factors that have not previously been considered and as such we have failed to see the whole picture
of the drama that unfolded during that time.
In his 1988 book "The Collapse of Complex Societies" Joseph Tainter presents the
view that for ‘given technological levels there are implicit declining returns to complexity, in which systems deplete
their resource base beyond levels that are ultimately sustainable’. There exists much debate among historians about
the real cause of the Fall of the Roman Empire, and these various concepts can be researched at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_the_Roman_Empire.
I tend to agree with the
argument that states that there were many reasons for the fall of such a ‘great society’ and no one simple factor
can be blamed for it. Under this premise, ‘the changes can more accurately be described as a complex transformation
that occurred over many years, rather than in one catastrophic event and each one is intertwined with the next’.
Edward Gibbon famously placed the blame on a loss of civic virtue among the Roman citizens. "[T]he decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness.
Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the causes of destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and as soon as
time or accident had removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight," he
wrote.
It is also suggested
that the Romans had no budgetary system and thus wasted whatever resources they had available. Sound familiar?
Their economy is
described as being a ‘plunder’ economy based on looting existing resources rather than producing anything new.
The Empire relied on booty from conquered territories or on a pattern of tax collection that drove small-scale farmers
into destitution or into dependency upon a landed élite exempt from taxation’.
As per slavery, Gibbon concluded that this practice precluded a middle class with purchasing power. Only a few exportable
goods were made and material innovation was severely lacking. Meanwhile the costs
of military defense and the pomp of Emperors continued. Financial needs continued to increase, but the means of meeting them
steadily eroded.
As per the emergence of Christianity, he states ‘Christianity
made many Roman citizens into pacifists, making it more difficult to defend against the barbarian attackers. Also money used
to build churches could have been used to maintain the empire. In
conclusion he says that No general causes can be assigned that made it [the collapse] inevitable.
Another noted historian, William H. McNeil, suggests in his book Plagues and Peoples (1976) that a protracted
plague sweeping through the empire ultimately killed half the population, which left the state apparatus and army too large for the population
to support, leading to further economic and social decline.Aggression and invasion has also been blamed as part of the domino effect leading to the eventual fall
of the Empire.
In the aforementioned The Collapse of Complex Societies the author suggests that societies become more complex
as they try to solve problems.
Social complexity can include differentiated social and economic reliance on symbolic and abstract communication and the
existence of a class of information producers and analysts who are not involved in primary resource production. Such complexity
requires a substantial "energy" subsidy [resources or other forms of wealth]
and such a shortage of or difficulty in gaining access to energy, it tends to create new layers of bureaucracy, infrastructure
or social class to address the challenge. In his view Tainter suggests that the ultimate cause of the fall was the diminishing returns on investments in social
complexity.
Other suggested contributors to that past historical drama include:
- gradual environmental degradation causing
population and economic decline.Deforestation and excessive grazing led to erosion of meadows and cropland. Increased
irrigation caused salinization. These human activities resulting in fertile land becoming nonproductive and eventually increased
desertification in some regions.
- decadence and political abuses.
- population decreases due to epidemics and fatal
disease outbreaks.
-
Global climate changes of 535-536 caused by the possible eruption of Krakatoa in 535,
as mentioned by David Keys and others
- Public Health Problems: the advent of water being brought into homes through lead pipes
put the wealthier families at greater risk. The blood and death at the Colosseum was a probable spread of disease. Those who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of
disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today. Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency
of the general public
- Political instability – in the course of one century Rome had 37 different emperors - 25 of whom were removed
from office by assassination. This contributed to the overall weaknesses of the empire.
- Unemployment spilling into the cities, creating increased
crime
- Inflation: The roman economy suffered from inflation
and once the Romans stopped conquering new lands, the flow of gold into the Roman economy decreased. Yet much gold was being
spent by the Romans to pay for luxury items. This meant that there was less gold to use in coins. As the amount of gold used
in coins decreased, the coins became less valuable. To make up for this loss in value, merchants raised the prices on the
goods they sold. Many people stopped using coins and began to barter to get what they needed. Eventually, salaries had to
be paid in food and clothing, and taxes were collected in fruits and vegetables.
-Urban decay: Wealthy Romans lived in a domus, or house, with marble walls, floors with intricate colored
tiles, and windows made of small panes of glass. Most Romans, however, were not rich and lived in small smelly rooms in apartment
houses with six or more stories called islands. Each island covered an entire block.
At one time there were
44,000 apartment houses within the city walls of Rome. The poor did not occupy first-floor apartments since these living quarters
rented for about $100 a year. The more shaky wooden stairs a family had to climb, the cheaper the rent became. The upper apartments
that the poor rented for $40 a year were hot, dirty, crowed, and dangerous. Anyone who could not pay the rent was forced to
move out and live on the crime-infested streets. Because of this cities began to decay.
-Inferior Technology: While the Romans built marvelous
roads, bridges, and aqueducts and established the first system of medicine for the benefit of the poor, they still relied
heavily on human and animal labor and failed to invent many new machines or find new technology to produce goods more efficiently.
They could not provide enough goods for their growing population. They were no longer conquering other civilizations and adapting
their technology, they were actually losing territory they could not longer maintain with their legions. Our own technology
to date has provided many conveniences for a more comfortable existence for some, but the advantages do not serve to
meet the real needs of the masses of common people. At times we must admit that our technology has created as many negative
implications as positive, as we still suffer from social decline, worldwide poverty, war, political corruption, military aggression
and huge abuses of earth’s resources. Of course there will always be those who will profit from technology, largely
on the backs of the poor and the vulnerable. Personally I don’t consider this technology a true success.
-Military Spending: Maintaining an army to defend the border of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant
drain on the government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing
and maintaining quality roads and aqueducts. Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin
hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable
but also very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which in turn led again to increased inflation.
Awakened individuals need only look around both near
and far to see the similarities between then and now. We in the west have been secretly lulled into a false
sense of security, yet those who can clearly see the writing on the wall will seldom debate that indeed we are now also in
a period of decline, despite the claims to the contrary. As we move into this new era of Pluto transiting Capricorn, these
same abuses of power, political decline, disease outbreaks, debauchery and manipulation will begin to be exposed. Global warming,
deforestation, excessive military spending and an inappropriate use of technology are already well underway. Economic instability
is also nipping at our heels thanks to Saturn in Virgo, an influence that will last for the next two years. Political instability
is also increasing and the differences between the west and the Middle East are definitely intensifying. How can anyone fail
to recognize the obvious similarities? Perhaps they are simply distracted by Fear, Apathy or the never-ending belief in
Consumerism and Material success. Or perhaps they simply choose to remain deaf to the ‘voices crying in the wilderness.’
It is said that those who fail to adapt,
are prone to perish
History recalls how great the fall can be
While everybodys
sleeping, the boats put out to sea
Borne on the wings of time
It seemed the answers were so easy to find
Too late,
the prophets cry
The islands sinking, lets take to the sky
[Supertramp]
