a rare pre-eminence both in
the arts and sciences of peace and in military power, but only
for about one hundred and fifty years: falling at last before the
superior military force of Macedon, after neglecting the practice
of the military arts, and devoting themselves to art, learning,
and philosophy. Rome as a great nation lasted about five hundred
years; and the last three centuries of her life after the death
of Commodus, about 192 A. D., illustrate curiously the fact that,
even if a people be immoral, cruel, and base in many ways, their
existence as an independent state may be continued long, if military
requirements be understood, and if the military forces be preserved
from the influence of the effeminacy of the nation as a whole. In
Rome, the army was able to maintain a condition of considerable
manliness, relatively to the people at large, and thus preserve
internal order and keep the barbarians at bay for nearly three
hundred years; and at the same time exert a powerful and frequently
deciding influence in the government. But the effeminacy of the
people, especially of those in the higher ranks, made them the
creatures of the army that protected them. In some cases, the Emperor
himself was selected by the army, or by the Pretorian Guard in Rome;
and sometimes the guard removed an Emperor of whom it disapproved
by the simple expedient of killing him.

After the fall of the Western Empire in 476, when Rome was taken by
Odoacer, a condition of confusion, approaching anarchy, prevailed
throughout Europe, until Charlemagne founded his empire, about 800
A. D., except that Constantinople was able to stand up against all
outside assaults and hold the Eastern Empire together. Charlemagne's
empire united under one government nearly all of what is now France,
Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and Holland. The means employed by
Charlemagne to found his empire were wholly military, though means
other than military were instituted to preserve it. He endeavored
by just government, wise laws, and the encouragement of religion
and of education of all kinds to form a united people. The time
was not ripe, however; and Charlemagne's empire fell apart soon
after Charlemagne expired.

The rapid rise and spread of the Mohammedan religion was made possible
by the enthusiasm with which Mahomet imbued his followers, but the
actual founding of the Arabian Empire was due wholly to military
conquest, achieved by the fanatic Mussulmans w