*wiping the tears from my eyes*

"In the autumn of 68 B.C. the world's only military superpower was dealt a profound psychological blow by a daring terrorist attack on its very heart. Rome's port at Ostia was set on fire, the consular war fleet destroyed, and two prominent senators, together with their bodyguards and staff, kidnapped."

So begins Robert Harris in an editorial in the New York Times. In this article, he claims that the Roman reaction to this event by pirates in 68 B.C. set them on a spiraling path from a constitutional Rome to rule by one man, thereby destroying their constitution with all its intricate checks and balances to prevent rule by one man.....

huh?

Seems Mr. Harris might wish to actually read a book or two because he missed a few things.....like what was actually happening in Rome at the time........you know, the few minor things like increasing use of mob violence, the murders of both Gracchis, a few civil wars, Sulla.....

For a really good laugh, here's the complete article.

And those were tears of laughter btw.....LOL