A republic, not an Empire?

 

Keith Woods (the Irish Traditionalist) argues that nationalism (or something like it) is as old as the human species. Here, he takes on the claim that the Romans were multi-cultural and/or unusually prone to cultural syncretism. 

In reality, Woods argues, ethnic identity based on shared kinship ties and a common culture was the norm in the ancient world, and the Romans (although perhaps somewhat peculiar) were really no different on a deeper level. 

He also takes on the claim that ethnonationalism is some kind of elite conspiracy, arguing that it´s really a mass phenomenon and not simply connected to your immidiate family or place of domicile. I have previously linked to another discussion about nationalism from the same content-creator.

And yes, I know that Woods is extremely controversial blah-blah, and I certainly don´t agree with many of his other takes, but I link to his Substack article since I find it to be of general interest.   

The Ethnopolitics of the Roman Empire