We had to acknowledge that she was still at the peak of her maturity, although she had been at preciesely that point for as long as we could remember. Old age seemed as alien to her personality as callow youth. The Roman Empire was destroyed not by its political rulers nor by the superiority of its opponent armies. There is no single group within Rome that can be isolated and blamed for the fall of Rome.
Historical causation is never simple.
The book of II Samuel in the Old Testament tells the story of Absalom, third and best-loved son of King David of Israel. Absalom led a rebellion against his father. The king's soldiers went out in large numbers and defeated Absalom's army. The king's soldiers did not follow his instructions but killed Absalom. There are those who bravely rush into action without knowing the risks involved.