Fascist Italy spent two decades invoking mare nostrum and succession to the Roman Empire. Roman power depended on logistics, which in turn required infrastructure. The fasces provide an illustrative interpretation: their rods are associated here with marking out roads and construction. Mussolini's failure to build sufficient infrastructure is the central criticism, linking the regime's historical claims to its practical preparation for war.
Notable Point · 3:43:21-3:45:02
Rome's infrastructure and Fascist Italy's imperial claims
Invoking Roman power did not supply the transport and construction capacity required to sustain an empire.