this was always done out of earshot of the others. Temujin guarded his new knowledge as a miser does his gold or an old man a young wife.
"So, Old Young One. Let me see if I understand correctly. There are similarities between the empires of the Chin and those of the West with one exception. The Chin have very seldom gone outside their own borders. They do not seem to have a lust for conquest.
"The Romans, on the other hand, were much more aggressive but were able to keep control of their empire with relatively few warriors. Now how was this done?"
Casca rocked in his saddle as his beast made a small jump over a log. Regaining his balance, he answered a bit irritably, for he thought his horse was trying to humiliate him again. This made him touchy, for he was certain the animal had done it on purpose. The log was not that big. The horse could have just stepped over it.
"Well, Temujin, the one thing Rome did right was not to fuck excessively with the occupied countries. By that I mean that they did not try to change too many customs. They left the different people's religions alone and even adopted many of the different gods themselves.
"There were temples to Egyptian, Persian, and Greek gods in Rome itself. Second, they made Roman law apply to everyone equally. Of course, we know that nothing is ever truly equal. But in most cases it was more fair than the occupied people's own systems. Then, of course, the occupied people could become Roman citizens with all the rights of such. And we have had emperors who were born in the provinces. From Spain, Africa, and Gaul.
"Of all the things you may learn, one of the most important is to make an empire where all that you conquer or who submit to you feel they have become part of your empire and are the better for your coming.
"If you fail to do this, you will have only two choices: You will be emperor of a desert filled with nothing but the dead; or you will always be enemies within your empire, which one day will rise against you.
"Make your laws but make certain they apply to everyone. Religion, tribe, or nation should make no difference. Make all that you meet a part of you, and you will be the greater for it. Secure lines of communication, tax fairly, make punishment sure and certain, as well as reward. Do this, and who knows, you might become one of the Great Ones. Fail to do this and your memory will turn to dust, as will your bones and all that you build."
Temujin frowned a bit, wrinkling his face in the process. “If Rome did all these things, then why has the empire fallen apart?"
"Good question. Rome rotted from the inside out. Most of the things I told you took place in the early centuries of the republic. Later the leaders became corrupt, decadent. One faction against the other. There was no continuity of leadership. A great man would be followed by a fool who was only a tool used by the ambitious for their own enrichment or power. Laws did not apply to the powerful, only to the weak.
"Rome no longer advanced and didn't take enough people into her system. Too many barbarians guarded the frontiers but were not part of Rome. They took what they learned and returned to their people with that knowledge, and it was to kill Rome later.
"The people lost faith, and Romans no longer wished to serve in the legions. They relied on mercenaries who had no loyalty to the empire.
"But remember, even with these corruptions, the foundation the Republic built was strong enough so that the empire lasted more than six hundred years, and even today the remnant of it exists in Constantinople, and may yet survive for some centuries to come. But I doubt it, for the eastern empire is even more corrupt than the western one was."
Temujin nodded his head. "What you say makes sense. If I have only my own people at the head and only enemies for my body, the head will surely fall."
Proudly he drew himself up, sticking out his skinny chest. "When I take power, I shall do these things.
"So, Old Young One. Let me see if I understand correctly. There are similarities between the empires of the Chin and those of the West with one exception. The Chin have very seldom gone outside their own borders. They do not seem to have a lust for conquest.
"The Romans, on the other hand, were much more aggressive but were able to keep control of their empire with relatively few warriors. Now how was this done?"
Casca rocked in his saddle as his beast made a small jump over a log. Regaining his balance, he answered a bit irritably, for he thought his horse was trying to humiliate him again. This made him touchy, for he was certain the animal had done it on purpose. The log was not that big. The horse could have just stepped over it.
"Well, Temujin, the one thing Rome did right was not to fuck excessively with the occupied countries. By that I mean that they did not try to change too many customs. They left the different people's religions alone and even adopted many of the different gods themselves.
"There were temples to Egyptian, Persian, and Greek gods in Rome itself. Second, they made Roman law apply to everyone equally. Of course, we know that nothing is ever truly equal. But in most cases it was more fair than the occupied people's own systems. Then, of course, the occupied people could become Roman citizens with all the rights of such. And we have had emperors who were born in the provinces. From Spain, Africa, and Gaul.
"Of all the things you may learn, one of the most important is to make an empire where all that you conquer or who submit to you feel they have become part of your empire and are the better for your coming.
"If you fail to do this, you will have only two choices: You will be emperor of a desert filled with nothing but the dead; or you will always be enemies within your empire, which one day will rise against you.
"Make your laws but make certain they apply to everyone. Religion, tribe, or nation should make no difference. Make all that you meet a part of you, and you will be the greater for it. Secure lines of communication, tax fairly, make punishment sure and certain, as well as reward. Do this, and who knows, you might become one of the Great Ones. Fail to do this and your memory will turn to dust, as will your bones and all that you build."
Temujin frowned a bit, wrinkling his face in the process. “If Rome did all these things, then why has the empire fallen apart?"
"Good question. Rome rotted from the inside out. Most of the things I told you took place in the early centuries of the republic. Later the leaders became corrupt, decadent. One faction against the other. There was no continuity of leadership. A great man would be followed by a fool who was only a tool used by the ambitious for their own enrichment or power. Laws did not apply to the powerful, only to the weak.
"Rome no longer advanced and didn't take enough people into her system. Too many barbarians guarded the frontiers but were not part of Rome. They took what they learned and returned to their people with that knowledge, and it was to kill Rome later.
"The people lost faith, and Romans no longer wished to serve in the legions. They relied on mercenaries who had no loyalty to the empire.
"But remember, even with these corruptions, the foundation the Republic built was strong enough so that the empire lasted more than six hundred years, and even today the remnant of it exists in Constantinople, and may yet survive for some centuries to come. But I doubt it, for the eastern empire is even more corrupt than the western one was."
Temujin nodded his head. "What you say makes sense. If I have only my own people at the head and only enemies for my body, the head will surely fall."
Proudly he drew himself up, sticking out his skinny chest. "When I take power, I shall do these things.
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