How Armies Fall Before Empires
From Rome to America, empires imagine their armies as instruments of conquest. But they are often catalysts of collapse.
TL;DR
- Flavius Vegetius Renatus's military treatise emphasized the importance of carefully selecting and training troops, a lesson ignored by the late Roman Empire.
- The 'barbarization' of the Roman army, incorporating conquered peoples and mercenaries without proper integration or training, weakened its effectiveness.
- Edward Gibbon observed a similar shift in the Roman military, moving from citizen-soldiers to a force drawn from the lower classes and disaffected elements.
- The article draws parallels between the Roman decline and the U.S. military's experience during the War on Terror, citing issues like over-deployment, reliance on contractors, and mental health challenges.
- The 'barbarization' of the U.S. military, through the inclusion of individuals with problematic backgrounds and the loosening of standards, is presented as a potential catalyst for decline.
- The consequences of neglecting veteran reintegration and the potential for mentally unstable, weaponized veterans pose a significant threat to both domestic and international security.