This sounds like one of the narratives Tainter presents in Collapse of Complex Societies, FWIW, since it fits his overall theme: complex societies (like Rome) develop (militaristically expand) until the marginal return hits zero or goes negative (O(n^2) territory finally beats O(n) new area), and then they collapse (burned out and died).
This sounds like one of the narratives Tainter presents in Collapse of Complex Societies, FWIW, since it fits his overall theme: complex societies (like Rome) develop (militaristically expand) until the marginal return hits zero or goes negative (O(n^2) territory finally beats O(n) new area), and then they collapse (burned out and died).