So this brings up a fundamental question. Were the Ancient Romans Fascists or Communists? The most famous symbol of the Roman Fasces in the painting of Horatii is used as a symbol of fascism. Yet, we know the Romans absorbed cultures into the Roman state. There were barbarians vs Roman citizens. This was not based on race. Were the Romans more like both? Since they allowed different ethnicities and cultures within their empire to function mostly unmolested as it relates to their religious practices? Yet, they did require the people once a year to pay homage to the Roman Caesar and declare his deification? The only group so far to have resisted and as a result punished for it were the Jewish people.