History repeats itself. This is the essential theme of “Rome, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation” by Stanley Bing. This book smashes the illusion that the bloodletting present during the heyday of the Roman Empire has ended, and instead explains that it lives on in the corporate wars businesses face today. It does, however, have some flaws.
Bing, who has written a number of satirical business self-help books, has managed to tell the entire story of the Roman Empire in one book. However, what sets the book apart from other books of this nature is the fact that he is constantly comparing the Roman Empire to the major corporations of today.
While it’s technically a business book, Bing’s humor shines through in his commentary on the various events and personalities that arose out of the history of the empire. To Bing, Rome was in the business of selling Roman citizenship and the wars of conquest Rome undertook are comparable to the hostile takeovers that corporations experience today.
The humor is really what keeps the book interesting. While his wit is sharp, the comparison of Rome to a modern multinational corporation at times seems forced.
Rome suffered through a number of leaders who were quite eccentric and Bing compares them to the leaders of notable corporations, such as Enron. The comparison works, but there are times when it seems a bit unnatural.
That biggest problem in “Rome, Inc.” is that it attempts to be too many things: a business book, a history book and a comedic rant. While it certainly achieves all three, it is difficult to tackle all three work at once, let alone work together throughout the book. This limits its appeal. “Rome, Inc.” will appeal to fans of history and entrepreneurs with hopes of carving out their own corporate empire. Although the book does try to make serious observations about modern corporate life, ultimately it is not a serious book. It is a humorous telling of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire with a constant comparison to modern business practices. Despite being found in the business section, it is essentially a history book with a little extra on the side.
Not that it isn’t an enjoyable read. Those who never liked history might enjoy Bing’s take on certain events. For example, of Heliogabalus, who became an emperor, Bing writes:
“Ruled by his mommy, he did pretty well for about five minutes. Then his cross-dressing and mad crushes on unsuspecting gladiators ran him afoul of the people, the army, which was too butch to really enjoy reporting to a preening transvestite, and any politician who was even vaguely awake.” Most history books lack commentary like that.
In the end, “Rome, Inc.” is a book that will appeal to many readers. However, the subject matter and nature of the book is not for everyone. If you like learning about history, enjoy satire and want to apply the lessons of history’s power struggles to your own plan for domination, if only in your place of employment, this book is perfect for you.
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