The decline of the Roman Empire

Richborough Roman Fort was built on the site on the Roman invasion in AD 43, from here, the Legions marched into the rest of England along Watling Street (now the A2), past the Bluewater shopping centre and on into London.

There is a theory, it may be mine alone, that the Roman Empire was brought to it's knees by rabbits.  Rabbits were fairly isolated in the Iberian peninsula and would have remained so had it not been for the Roman Army's fondness of the little creature's reproduction rate and tastiness in stews.  They raised rabbits in large pens called warrens, some of these were half a mile in diameter.  Of course, we all know that rabbits are good at digging, the Romans soon found that out too.  They weren't used to being outwitted and relied on strategy and strength to overcome their enemies.  They couldn't come up with a battle plan so they just threw more resources at the rabbits.  Legionnaires from all over Europe soon found themselves posted to Spain for rabbit watching duty (OK, I may be making this up....but it's only a theory).  The rabbits were secure, but the Empire was not......

There is another theory......sometime in 475, the heads of the Roman Army held a big meeting to discuss the secret plan which would enable them secure the Empire for perpetuity.  There was only one copy of the plan that had been written by Legatus Flavious Atetoomuch, just before he died in a tragic accident involving a wiping stick in the latrines.  So.....the meeting begins, slowly the secret scroll is unrolled, when, quick as a flash, in dives Basil, who grabs the scroll and runs off with it (I'm still not bitter).

Note: The author is solely responsible for any historical inaccuracies or conjecture.