What do the Romans tell us about the fragility and contingency of our own civilisation?

Apologies!!! It's Freddie Sayers, not Fraser Nelson.

I like reading Tom Holland's work. Thank you for bringing this to my attention

Thank you Baggs, very interesting.; I've read his 'Dynasty' and enjoyed it.
The decline and fall of the Roman empire has parallels for our time, I think. The empire expanded, Rome was flooded with citizens from all over the known world bringing many different religions, which resulted in people devaluing all; cults and perversions tolerated, then suddenly the Goths were at the gates, Rome fell and the Dark Ages began.

Not quite as simple as that , but definite similarities.

Thanks Baggs after reading the article I’m going to get the book; some very insightful information, thus far my only comments could be that truly there is nothing new under the sun. It’s only our mindsets, interpretation and perspective that alters, within the human hearts lies both the darkness and the light, we are all capable of being the monster and/or the angel, determined by our choices and our individual human fragilities.