The only thing stopping empires from taking over the world is

>>3319386
And the stupidity of its rulers, at least in the case of IMPERIVM ROMANVM

>>3319875
I know not why any one but a school-boy in his declamation should whine over the Commonwealth of Rome, which grew great only by the misery of the rest of mankind. The Romans, like others, as soon as they grew rich, grew corrupt; and in their corruption sold the lives and freedoms of themselves, and of one another. [...] A people, who while they were poor robbed mankind; and as soon as they became rich, robbed one another.

>>3319386
The only thing stopping the world from falling into anarchy is the collective nature of the people inhabitting it.

>t. Good arguments.