"They even had a democracy!"
Watch HBO's Rome with the All Roads Lead To Rome option turned on. It'll change your mind on a lot of that.
Besides, they didn't have Democracy but a Republic, then a Tyrant, then an Emperor.
Let me correct that Rome thing, I forgot that a Legion cares more about its leader than Rome. Thus why Legions fought one another. They didn't really want an emperor I mean thats one of the reasons they kill Caesar methinks. Well, thats why some of the senate did at least. But the people of that time were easily swayed by the "strongest" leader. If you have ever read Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" he does a great job at showing how people are easily swayed and how highly Caesar thought himself. Haha could you imagine Mike Loades as a Centurion. He'd take Rome by himself 😆