Border Walls

Rome had border walls
That mostly controlled
Who could enter the
Republic and Empire
For twice as long as
We have been the USA.
Roman border walls were
Much more than a simple
Stockade of tree trunks
Or masonry walls & forts,
It was areas outside the
Border walls where trade
Helped make Roman
Maquiladoras a place
To live with some of the
Benefits of the Empire,
The Roman military kept
The peace and enforced
A version of Roman law
Giving those outside
The walls a place of
Relative safety to live.
In addition, Roman border
Walls had adjacent areas
Of settlement inside the
Empire where emigrants were
Settled and the border
Guards slowed any major
Incursions that got past
The border walls which
Were rivers and mountains
With observation posts.
Walls were rare such as
In Scotland, the Rhine to
Danube gap and a few
Other narrow locations,
Mostly the border walls
Were trade incentives,
Cultural indoctrination,
Constant border guard
Patrols all aimed at
Turning wanna be
Emigrants into quasi
Romans adjacent but
Outside the Empire
Then much later
Inside the Empire.
Over time the Roman
Army became mostly
Emigrants from both
Sides of the border walls
Often commanded by
Tribal leaders of what
The Romans called
Barbarians because
They could not speak
Latin or spoke it poorly.
When the rich landowning
Estate holders in the western
Empire were asked to pay
Their fair share of taxes
As they controlled most of
The land and wealth,
Those rich landowners
Made deals with the
Invading barbarians to
Share the land and
Abandon their allegiance
To the Roman Empire.
And so the West fell in 476 AD,
The dark ages lasted for
Almost a thousand years
Of suffering and hardship
Until Constantinople and the
Remnant of the Eastern
Roman Empire fell in 1453 AD.
Barbarian emigrants to the
Empire and barbarian
Invaders both wanted a
Share of the prosperity
And safety offered by
The Empire which
Failed in the West
Because of the
Greed of the
Rich who put
Themselves first
And the Empire
Second.
Quo vadis?