The best empire: Roman or British?

[Joe McCarthy]

In my opinion these were the two best empires in history. But which was better?

[Yeahright]

In my opinion these were the two best empires in history. But which was better?

The British Empire, because it was more modern, more humane, more liberal etc.

This does not mean I admire the British Empire. I think every country should be independent. I just think the British Empire was clearly a lesser evil than many other empires.

The Roman Empire was based on slavery etc., therefore it can be compared to e.g. the Soviet Union.

[ikki]

The british empire was quite a failure.

They didnt move the administrtaion to india, take over persia & thus linking everythuing together from kapetown to burma. Oh and britain should have been released as a dominion. Then some colonytrading with france, west africa etc for madagaskar and indian ocean islands... leading to the indian ocean being a inner sea of sorts.

Guess all the drive and ambition died in the massgraves in belgium

[Joe McCarthy]

The british empire was quite a failure.

I'll gladly take a 'failure' that produced Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.

As for linking things together, there was a great deal of that done in Africa and the Near East, courtesy of Rhodes and other factors.

[El Palleter]

The British Empire, because it was more modern, more humane, more liberal etc.

Over two thousand years after its birth, what we call civilisation is still based upon the laws coded by the Roman Empire. So after more than two thousand years, important aspects of the Roman Empire remain modern.

Also the modern concept of humane derives from Romanity.

I just think the British Empire was clearly a lesser evil than many other empires.

Tell that to Native Americans, to-day a decimated people and many of the tribes just gone forever.

Or wait...no. That was the new American settlers who did it, after the Colonial rule.

The Roman Empire was based on slavery etc., therefore it can be compared to e.g. the Soviet Union.

The fact is that you cannot compare two systems of rule which are set apart in time from each other by two millenia, on the basis of a mentality set in one of the periods.

The fact is that the poll is flawed for that very reason. And I suspect that the intention is to attempt an excercise of self-complacency through self-righteousness that's just started here:

I'll gladly take a 'failure' that produced Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.

As for linking things together, there was a great deal of that done in Africa and the Near East, courtesy of Rhodes and other factors.

A classic.

[SwordoftheVistula]

Over two thousand years after its birth, what we call civilisation is still based upon the laws coded by the Roman Empire.

A bit of influence, but for the most part not. English common law grew up organically for the most part, and this is now the basis for laws in Britain, US, Canada, Australia & New Zealand.

The Napoleonic code is the basis for continental western European law, maybe this had some basis in the old Roman law, I have not studied this area much.

China pretty much has its own system, as does the Islamic world, not sure about Russia and Slavic countries but probably they do as well.

[Wulfhere]

What will historians say about the British Empire in a thousand, or two thousand years? I suspect it will be on a par with the Roman Empire, in terms of how its influence is perceived. Both empires had their bad points, of course - what empire doesn't? - but, like the Roman, it will be the good points that are remembered most, and duly acknowledged. Namely, in both cases, the spread of language, culture, law and civilisation.

[x-class]

The roman empire, because they were so awsome lol

[The Ripper]

Roman Empire, of course.

[Nglund]

The british empire was quite a failure.

LOL!

Britain is responsible for 54% of inventions we use in our daily lives (according to Japanese MITI study). The British Empire literally made the modern world. That's quite a lot for a failure isn't it?

I will abstain from voting though, both Empires, both systems are too old to be compared. The time gap is far too large IMO.