Ancient empires may be better models for interstellar rule

Could ancient empires provide better models for alien and human space empires?

Probably, because slow communications would recreate the delegated authority, stale information, and reinforcement dilemmas of premodern strategy.

Rome, Persia, and Egypt provide suggested analogies for interstellar government under slow communications. Before faster-than-light communication becomes possible, messages could take months or years, leaving people on the spot to act independently. Headquarters must plan with information that may already be obsolete. A request for 5,000 reinforcements could arrive after the war has ended, or further losses could justify sending 10,000 instead. Time is needed both to receive the request and to assemble and deliver the force.