Star Wars and the Roman Empire

[Cassius Loginus]

Those who watched the last movie of the Star Wars trilogy, first part, "The Return of the Sith", the plot has similar connotations how the Roman Republic changed to the Roman Empire. In the movie, one can evaluate that the Galactic Republic finally changed to the Galactic Empire.

 

Any comments?

[Ursus]

I think there is a certain parallel between Cato and Yoda.

[M. Porcius Cato]

There's more than a passing similarity between the political back-story of the Star Wars saga and the death of the Roman republic.

 

In both, the republic is governed by elected senators, who are despised as squabbling oligarchs by the future enemies of the Free State (Vader and Caesar, Palpatine and Octavian, the Trade Federation and Crassus). The enemies of the republic routinely conspire to sponsor coup d'etats (the plots against Amidala, Catiline Conspracy) while brigands terrorize provincial territories (the Separatists and the Cilician pirates). The senate responds to these threats with dangerous innovations (sanction of the clone army, the lex Gabinia which gave extraordinary powers to Pompey). With these small-fry threats ending in failure, a false sense of security falls upon the defenders of the republic, who are subsequently taken completely by surprise by the secret enemies of the state (Vader and Palpatine; Caesar and Octavian). The enemies of the Old Republic systematically wipe out all its remaining defenders (the Jedis, the republican armies in Pharsalus, Thapsus, and Mutina), and finally the power of the senate is destroyed, with regional power passing to the local governors that report to the Emperor.

 

As for Cato--he's obviously Obi Wan-Kenobi, a paladin of the Republic who allows himself to be destroyed so that his soul would become a stronger force for the rebellion than his own body. This is just how the suicide of Cato worked--it galvanized opposition to Caesar (Brutus, Cicero), undercut support for Caesar among his own allies (like Sallust), and inspired rebellion against the dictatorship (the Ides of March).

 

All that said, the parallels between SW and Roman history breaks down pretty quickly. After all, SW isn't meant to retell Roman history. Even the political back-story could be just as favorably compared to the history of Weimar Republic before the ascent of the Nazis. For another look at parallels, see Star Wars and Falling Republics.