Unstoppable Rome!

[Ebusitanus]

Pontus, Parthia, Macedon.. were all weak compared to Rome. I do not see where we disagree. Carthage was the only power of the lot that was anywhere near as ambitious as Rome when it came down to colonizing and conquests. Of course, the rest were all regional powers. I do not deny that they were strong, (Parthia most of all) but that they were plagued by internal problems which the Romans were not. And the times when the Romans did have social unrest, they were usually lucky enough to have plenty of gifted comamnders (as Lucullus and Pompey against Mithridates and Sertorius) while their enemies were not only quabbling amongst themselves, but had to deal with Rome as well.

However, had Rome had to fight against the odds that her enemies fought, i doubt she would have held up. Carthage, with a half starved army of mercenaries almost destroyed the Romans. This was WITH internal unrest (Hanno the Great didn't help the cause in the least). Rome suffered great defeats against a colonial power who was too afraid to put its own citizens in the army (aside from the cavalry) while the Roman army was a well disciplined and well trained citizen army whose motivation should have been far greater than some ragged mercenaries and barbarian conscripts.

The later roman empire suffered several embarassing defeats. I do not deny that the Romans accomplished a great feat and i find it unbelievable how, despite almost non stop civil war after the death of Commodus, the Romans continued to survive into the 5th century and, at times, even make gains.