Rome Politics of Difference In Ancient Rome, the endeavors at recognizing the needs of ethnic and social minorities were rather few. As a result, several minorities were severely ostracized, such as the Jewish community. Arguably, the exclusive politics of Rome contributed to its rapid downfall. Promoting cultural conformity, Ancient Rome could not consider the idea of equity in its politics. Causes of Imperial Decline Ancient Rome fell incredibly fast due to several factors, the most evident one being the invasion of barbarians. However, considering the existing historical records, one will realize that Roman troops could have been used to overcome the invasion if it had been the only problem. Instead, the economic crisis caused by overspending and taxation led to the crumbling of the empire. Taxation Policies The tax issues were among the most controversial in Ancient Rome. Being one of the factors that would lead to the demise of the empire, taxes were huge and nearly impossible to manage for an average citizen. The farming tax was particularly egregious due to its size and the pressure that is put on farmers. Military Policies Easily regulated and organized in legions, the Ancient Roman military was quite efficient as a force for protecting the state. The troops served the purpose of expanding the power of Ancient Rome and annexing new territories. Therefore, the Ancient Roman army combined the peaceful mentality of protecting the land from invaders and the notion of the conquest of other states. Self-Perception and Worldview The concept of the Roman identity in Ancient Rome has been termed Romanitas by modern scholars and embodied the notions of rigid social hierarchy. In turn, the worldview of Ancient Romanians seemed to segregate humankind into the civilized and uncivilized, or barbaric, people (Parsons 18). The specified divide would result in the Roman citizens overrating their self-importance and diminishing the threat that barbaric tribes posed, thus allowing the latter to infiltrate the state and take over it. Byzantium Politics of Difference Similar to Ancient Rome, the Jewish community was heavily ostracized in Byzantium. The described attitude was not the only aspect of the politics of difference promoted in Byzantium, yet it was the most prominent one. Among others, the class division could be mentioned as the core of the politics of difference. Causes of Imperial Decline The wrong military choices, namely, the decision to partake in the Arab Wars, were the main reason for the empire to collapse. In addition, the weak military can be considered as the factor leading to the destruction of the state. Finally, the poor political choices and the absence of a clear foreign policy led to the destruction of the empire. Taxation Policies The Byzantine Empire had one of the most robust economies of all states, yet the taxation system of Byzantine was rather intricate and even convoluted. Apart from the flat tax that all citizens had to pay, there was a special farming tax that had to be calculated based on the area of land that farmers possessed. Military Policies The Byzantine army formed to protect the state from invaders was formed after the example of the Roman army, whi