Civilizations rise out of chaos.

Order reigns.

Order turns to a regimen.

Regimen becomes oppressive.

Oppression graduates to full-blown brutality, injustice, cruelty, despotism, corruption, and tyranny.

Civilization crumbles back to chaos - and it all starts over.

This seems to be the order of society and civilization. Greece, Rome, the Mongols - each being very different, but with similar story arcs.

History is both cyclical and linear. There are patterns and straight lines. There are layered complexities and a beginning, middle, and end.

These days I often wonder where we are, both in the cycle and in the line.