Creating fake Terror, by means of mass deception is not a modern phenomenon.
The idea of ‘creating’ the enemies you need, dates back to the days of the Roman Empire in fact.
In 70 BC, an ambitious minor politician though an extremely wealthy one, Marcus Licinius Crassus, wanted to rule Rome.
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Crassus was nothing if not resourceful, after all, he is credited with invention of the fire brigade.
But in his Roman version, his slaves would race to the scene of a burning building and Crassus would offer to buy it on the spot for a tiny fraction of its worth.
If the owner agreed to sell, Crassus’ slaves would put out the fire. If the owner refused, Crassus allowed the building to burn to the ground.
By using this method, Crassus came to be the largest single private land holder in Rome, and used some of his wealth to help back Julius Caesar against Cicero.
70 BC Rome was still a Republic, a system which placed very strict limits on what the Rulers could do, and more importantly were NOT allowed to do.
Crassus had no intention of allowing limits restricting his personal power, and had soon devised a plan to suit his ambition.
He used the slave revolt led by Spartacus in order to strike terror into the hearts of Rome, whose garrison Spartacus had already defeated in battle.
Spartacus had never intended marching on Rome itself, as he knew that doing so would be suicidal.
Spartacus and his followers wanted nothing from the Roman empire and had planned from the beginning of the slave revolt, merely to loot enough money from their former owners in the Italian countryside to hire a mercenary fleet in which to sail to freedom.
This was the last thing Crassus wanted Spartacus to do. He needed a convenient enemy with which to terrorize Rome itself for his personal political gain.
Crassus bribed the mercenary fleet to sail without Spartacus, then positioned two Roman legions in such a way that Spartacus had no choice but to march on Rome.
Terrified of the impending arrival of the much-feared army of gladiators, Rome declared Crassus Praetor.
Crassus then easily crushed Spartacus’ army and even though Pompey took the credit, Crassus was elected Consul of Rome the following year.
Within a short time, the Romans had surrendered their Republican form of government.
Soon would follow the first Triumvirate, consisting of Crassus, Pompeii, and Julius Caesar, followed by the reign of the god-like Emperors of Rome.
The Roman people were thus tricked into surrendering their Republic, and had no choice but to accept the brutal rule of the Emperors.
The Outlaw
