Did the Roman Commonwealth become outdated and politically/structurally irrelevant?

[Milonius]

I believe a commonwealth is a group of sovereign nations united under a group of ideals or policies. Wikipedia's definition of commonwealth:

"Today the term is more general and means a political community."

If I'm correct, the Roman Empire was made up of several provinces united under a single government. Once again, quoting Wikipedia:

"A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state."

So this means that the Roman Empire couldn't have been a commonwealth since its provinces were all under the same government. So the Roman Empire, instead of being a commonwealth consisting of multiple nations, was an empire united under a single government.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just presenting the argument as I see it. I'm not an expert on this time period.

[TWT]

Careful how close to the edge this is going. This is straying dangerously close to attacking other users. The thread from the beginning was straying close to discussion about politics.

Lorgus is Right, we clearly have diffrent opinions on historiogrphy, for my part in this argument, I am sorry.

[Milonius]

I believe a commonwealth is a group of sovereign nations united under a group of ideals or policies. Wikipedia's definition of commonwealth:

"Today the term is more general and means a political community."

If I'm correct, the Roman Empire was made up of several provinces united under a single government. Once again, quoting Wikipedia:

"A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state."

So this means that the Roman Empire couldn't have been a commonwealth since its provinces were all under the same government. So the Roman Empire, instead of being a commonwealth consisting of multiple nations, was an empire united under a single government.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just presenting the argument as I see it. I'm not an expert on this time period.

[Conrad_Jalowski]

Ah, sorry Logrus.

I will do best to show self-restraint and moderation as I dispel the inaccuracies and fallacies in the opposing arguments.



http://books.google.com/books?id=W6p...esult&resnum=1.

http://books.google.com/books?id=enw...esult&resnum=1.

http://openlibrary.org/b/OL18815048M/Roman-Commonwealth.

[TWT]

Ah, sorry Logrus.

I will do best to show self-restraint and moderation as I dispel the inaccuracies and fallacies in the opposing arguments.



http://books.google.com/books?id=W6p...esult&resnum=1.

http://books.google.com/books?id=enw...esult&resnum=1.

http://openlibrary.org/b/OL18815048M/Roman-Commonwealth.

I think I am beginning to see the core of our disagreement, I would classify the authors you have listed as, at best, history channel quality, you show me where Gibbon, or Pirenne, or Bury, or Madden discuses Rome as a commonwealth and I will gladly admit my error.

[Conrad_Jalowski]

I am sorry that you classify Thomas Aquinus and prestigious history professors/writers as poor quality.

I am sorry that you copy and pasted the names of Edward Gibbon, Pirenne, etc.

I am sorry that...Happy Fourth of July!

[pialpha]

This may be one of the most informational fights on the forum.

[TWT]

I am sorry that you classify Thomas Aquinus and prestigious history professors/writers as poor quality.

I am sorry that you copy and pasted the names of Edward Gibbon, Pirenne, etc.

I am sorry that...Happy Fourth of July!

OK, so civil conversaion is apparently off the table so I say good day, a note of caution to anyone reading this thread check the facts for yourselves

[Demonhero]

I love how my post was just completely thrown out the window.

[TWT]

I love how my post was just completely thrown out the window.

Sorry bout that, I guess just got caught up in Conrad calling me ignornt, but for what it is worth, I dissagree, to say that the goverment was of by and for the people when most could not vote, and of thouse that could an even smaller persentage could serve in the senate, would be in error, also to be fair what ended the republic was no declaration by Ceasar but rather all those pesky little civil wars the romans were in such a habit of fighting.