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8. Münkler, H. & Camiller, P. (2007) <i>Empires: the logic of world domination from ancient Rome to the United States </i>. Cambridge ; Malden, MA, Polity. This book analyzes the motives of empire and what drives states to attempt to dominate political and economic spheres. This book looks at the folly of power used for economic advantage, where it argues that this ultimately will leave states to over extend and spend more to maintain their status and position than what is sustainable. These lessons are useful for understanding ancient empires but also modern day states that attempt to dominant the global economy.
9. Heather, P. (2010) <i>Empires and barbarians: the fall of Rome and the birth of Europe </i>. New York, Oxford Univ. Press. This book looks at how modern Europe came into being from the fall of the Roman Empire, where Rome became an ideal for early European states to emulate. As states arose out of the ashes left behind in Europe, and as new states emerged to take the great vacuum Rome created, states also began to emulate and attempt to replicate and develop their own order that sought to bring back the glory of Rome while establishing a new order.