Historyfags, need some help with sorting out my history. When Rome fell, did the Roman elite take cover under the Holy Roman Empire AkA the Vatican?
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The power of Rome was in it's laws. In a very important way, all power resides in laws. (This is not intended to be a definitive statement, but one of scope.)
Laws shape the beliefs and actions of the people of the Earth. Of course only Natural Law has any actual power, and we don't really even know what the Natural Laws are, but all of our world is based on, and restricted and guided by, our system of laws. People will act according to the law. Even when they misbehave they are aware of "the law" when they do (unless its obscure), and thus act under it's influence, even if not according to its bounds.
I think it is possible we are still under Roman Law. Of course we have English Law (Common Law) on top of that, so we might still be an English Colony (by law), but England might still be a Roman Colony. (by law).
The Pope would be the apparent present leader of the Roman Empire and dictator of Roman Law.
Not to say I think the Pope really holds the reigns of power. I doubt the Pope is the person really in charge of the Roman Empire, but I doubt the Emperor's of old were the people really in charge of the Roman Empire back then either.