There is one characteristic that all the great Empires throughout history hold in common: they all eventually fell. From the glory days of Rome to the time when the Ottomans dominated Asia to the days when the sun never set on Britain’s holdings, every empire that dominated the world has seen their power crumble away. The September 11th attacks were seen by many as an attempt to bring down the American “empire.” Though damaging, the attacks fell well short of that ultimate goal. But is America vulnerable the way that Rome and other great empires ultimately proved to be? This hour, we take a look back at history for lessons the U.S. can learn from the great empires of the past.

Guests:

Donald Kagan, professor of history and classics at Yale, author of “On the Origins of War and Preservations of Peace” and the “Heritage of World Civilizations” series