ABSTRACT
The classical empire, such as that of Darius, was not merely an expanse of territory under a single ruler, such as the Holy Roman or British Empires. Ancient Egypt and the Mesopotamian city states were prototypes of an ancient empire. Evidently, there is a “cycle,” and it is the purpose here to offer an explanation. The explanation is highly tentative and undoubtedly will undergo modification. In particular, the analysis of the feudal economy and the empire economy is technical and relatively rigorous whereas the analysis of their interrelationship is less satisfactory from a formal viewpoint. The emperors were foresighted enough to see that the principles of the empire applied too strictly ultimately lead to the decline of the empire, as shall be seen. The emperor may have doubled as historian and may have been sensitive to the facts of many other fallen empires.
