206 WORLD-POWER AND EVOLUTION 



to repel them? Ill health, anaemia, vice, misgovernment, were 

 scarcely the means of repelling fierce invaders. So Rome fell, and 

 her fall was followed by that period of unfavorable climate which 

 is known as the Dark Ages. 



From first to last the general outlines of the history of Rome 

 conform to what would be expected on the supposition that 

 climate is one of the chief determiners of the strength and habits 

 of a nation. We have seen that this is so in our own country 

 today, and that it has been the case all through the course of 

 geological evolution. Now we see that when Rome and southern 

 Italy had a highly stimulating climate there arose the stern, yet 

 admirable Roman Republic. There right was might, and con- 

 science played as large a part as in almost any civilization that 

 the world has ever known. Next came a sudden change of climate, 

 and the Italy of the second century B. C. showed itself base, weak, 

 and wicked where its ancestors had been noble, strong, and pure. 

 Again, the climate improved in the first century before Christ, 

 and once more Rome rose, although not to her former level. A 

 century of greatness and a century 6r two of slow decline agreed 

 once more with the climatic conditions. Then once more a long 

 and painful downward sweep of civilization occurred hand in hand 

 with a prolonged downward sweep of climate. The Dark Ages 

 were the period of least storminess, and presumably of least 

 climatic stimulus and poorest health at any time for at least three 

 thousand years. Since those days there have been two great 

 periods of recovery. Both appear in general to have agreed with 

 climatic pulsations. 



Today in spite of the vicissitudes of climate Italy still holds 

 her place among the Great Powers. Is this inconsistent with our 

 theory? It would be, were it not that there are two Italics. The 

 Italy of ancient times was the country from Rome southward. 

 Again and again we have seen that it was southern Italy whose 

 disorders chiefly brought calamity. Today's Italy is the country 

 from Rome northward. Everv student of Italian affairs knows 



