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What if Rome, or rather the aspect of being "Roman" took on a spiritual connotation during the time of the Republic and Empire to point where being "Roman" was similar to the pseduo-spiritual/volkish nature of being French, Russian or German during the age of nationalism.
Could the Empire cope with an earlier rise of ethno-nationalism from its most enfranchised citizenry?
Would see see "Romans" (people who could genelogically claim descendancy from those of antiquity) around today if this occurred.