Measuring Empire by Proportional Growth

Compare empires by the ratio of their first state-level footprint to their peak population/territory rather than by peak size alone. This historiometric yardstick suggests Rome’s rise—from a small Tiber village to a Mediterranean superpower—was a statistical outlier versus Persia, Alexander, or the Mongols. — A clear metric can replace vague exceptionalism talk with testable comparisons of state-building across eras.