Carneades and the conceit of Rome: transhistorical approaches to imperialism

Abstract

While the manner in which empires have been discussed in the Western tradition has been largely conditioned by a two-millennia-old dialectic that Carneades presented neatly to the Romans in the mid-second century B.C., empires themselves have not enjoyed the same uniformity. Empires might be compared for fun, but are best contrasted for profit. By pointing to the dialectical impasse created by a generic approach to empires, Carneades helps us realize that the United States is not like Rome simply because both are 'empires'.