New Europe, New Rome

On the face of it, it's surprising that comparisons between the European Union and the Roman Empire aren't made more often. There was a brief flurry of them back when the Euro was introduced, with Rome offered as the last example of a single currency, but, at least in English language publications, commentators who normally have no problem in offering any number of dubious analogies as solid facts are suddenly overcome with an awareness of historical difference.

One reason seems to be the ambiguous image of the Roman Empire. A hardline Eurosceptic could certainly invoke Rome as a prototype of the repressive, over-bureaucratic state tyranny that the EU allegedly wishes to impose on the heroic Asterix and Obelix figures of each individual nation - but that leaves open the possibility of the old "what the Romans did for us..." argument, which might make repressive state tyranny seem a less unpleasant possibility. Conversely, pointing to the success of Rome in bringing peace and civilisation to warring and barbarous nations while nevertheless permitting them to rule themselves and retain as much of their identity, a positive vision for what Europe might become, is always at risk of someone pointing out the less-than-consensual means by which this 'peace' was introduced. The contrast with the US, where the ambiguous image of the Roman Empire is nevertheless at times embraced with enthusiasm, must be due at least in part to the fact that no one is countenancing military force as a means of resolving disputes about the level of agricultural subsidies, even if Barroso must sometimes wish he had a couple of legions to despatch. Military force as a means of preventing the coronation of President Blair, on the other hand...

However, there is one group whose view of Rome isn't ambiguous in the slightest, and who therefore have no hesitation in drawing analogies with the equally satanic force of the European Union: the Christian lunatic fringe. "Europe will one day almost certainly be the heart of the Antichrist beast-system of governmental, economic and religious control prophesied to engulf the world," asserts Rapture Ready. "The fifth world empire symbolized in the statue is prophesied to be an extension of the fourth kingdom. That is exactly what the EU is –an extension of the ancient Roman Empire." "All that currently remains to create a truly revived Roman Empire is the creation of a permanent executive branch of government and the full integration of the new Euro currency. With the introduction of the new EU constitution, the groundwork is being laid for just such an executive branch and economic system," suggests Contender Ministries, adding helpfully that Javier Solana was granted emergency powers in 2000 through recommendation 666. Above all, as Heisnear.com notes, Europe will be where Antichrist rises to power as the new emperor of Rome's successor - and let's not start on the number of websites that think Tony Blair is the obvious candidate for the job...

Or maybe not. World News and Prophecy thinks that Europe is trying to revive not the Roman Empire but the Holy Roman Empire. So that's all right.