--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone outside the Roman Empire was…" description: "\"Everyone outside the Roman Empire was called a barbarian. Everyone outside Obama’s empire is called a terrorist.\" — Robert Fisk" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/robert-fisk-7244_barbarians_everyone-outside-the-roman-empire-was-ca_1090211.jpg" --- # Everyone outside the Roman Empire was called a barbarian… ![“Everyone outside the Roman Empire was called a barbarian. Everyone outside Obama’s empire is called a terrorist.” quote by Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/robert-fisk-7244_barbarians_everyone-outside-the-roman-empire-was-ca_1090211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/robert-fisk-7244_barbarians_everyone-outside-the-roman-empire-was-ca_1090211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/robert-fisk-7244_barbarians_everyone-outside-the-roman-empire-was-ca_1090211.jpg) > “Everyone outside the Roman Empire was called a barbarian. Everyone outside Obama’s empire is called a terrorist.” [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author draws a parallel between ancient Roman labeling of outsiders as barbarians and modern Western labeling of perceived enemies as terrorists, highlighting a pattern of dehumanization. **In simple terms:** Comparing ancient and modern outsiders as barbarians and terrorists. Key Takeaway Beware labeling others as enemies. Themes politics media dehumanization history power Mood critical analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - foreign policy debates - media analysis - public discourse - human rights advocacy Key Concepts usophobia propaganda othering Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect conflict resolution? - What alternatives exist to dehumanizing language? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarian/) [Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) [Called Barbarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-barbarian-2814178/) [Called Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-terrorist-836482/) [Empire Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-called-2814180/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Obama Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-empire-2814179/) [Punisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punisher/) [Roman empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roman-empire/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) ## Related quotes > [Obama, who is becoming more and more preacher-like, wants to be the Punisher-in-Chi ef of the Western World, the Avenger-in-Chie f. There is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/obama-who-is-becoming-more-and-more-preacher-like-wants-to-be-the/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [“And when her so-called barbarian husband finished donning it all, she’d struggled against the desire to rip it off of him again. Together,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-savage/and-when-her-so-called-barbarian-husband-finished-donning-it-all-she/) [Vivienne Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-savage/) > [“He couldn't understand how he was awarded medals and honors for clubbing and bayoneting people, and be called a barbarian for killing seals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-butler/he-couldn-t-understand-how-he-was-awarded-medals-and-honors-for/) [Geoff Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-butler/) > [How is it that in the so-called barbarian ages art was understood, whereas in our age of progress exactly the opposite is true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/how-is-it-that-in-the-so-called-barbarian-ages-art-was-understood/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [I'm called a terrorist in the Arab media still today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-shamir/i-m-called-a-terrorist-in-the-arab-media-still-today/) [Yitzhak Shamir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-shamir/) > [I have long held that many of the writers and artists working in the aftermath of 9/11 have presented a faux familiarity with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/i-have-long-held-that-many-of-the-writers-and-artists-working-in-the/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [Whoever stands by a just cause cannot possibly be called a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/whoever-stands-by-a-just-cause-cannot-possibly-be-called-a-terrorist-2/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [I was called a terrorist yesterday... Today I am admired by the very people who said I was one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-was-called-a-terrorist-yesterday-today-i-am-admired-by-the-very/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Whoever stands by a just cause cannot possibly be called a terrorist. -Yassar Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/call-of-duty/whoever-stands-by-a-just-cause-cannot-possibly-be-called-a-terrorist/) [Call Of Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/call-of-duty/) > [Because I do it with one small ship, I am called a terrorist. You do it with a whole fleet and are called an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/because-i-do-it-with-one-small-ship-i-am-called-a-terrorist-you-do-it/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“If you kill one person is called a crime, and you are called a criminal. If you kill ten people you are called serial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta-metani-marashi/if-you-kill-one-person-is-called-a-crime-and-you-are-called-a/) [Beta Metani' Marashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beta-metani-marashi/) > [I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-was-called-a-terrorist-yesterday-but-when-i-came-out-of-jail-many/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The people-pleasing and performing is 100% ingrained in me, partly because I was a little brown girl growing up in a very white, homogeneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samin-nosrat/the-people-pleasing-and-performing-is-100-ingrained-in-me-partly/) [Samin Nosrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samin-nosrat/) > [I have been called a terrorist, among other things. In fact, I am seen in India as being anti-Islamic by the Islamic fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/i-have-been-called-a-terrorist-among-other-things-in-fact-i-am-seen/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [I love peace, and am anxious that we should give the world still another useful lesson, by showing to them other modes of punishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-love-peace-and-am-anxious-that-we-should-give-the-world-still/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Robert Fisk > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [And I think, in the end, that is the best definition of journalism I have heard; to challenge authority - all authority - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/and-i-think-in-the-end-that-is-the-best-definition-of-journalism-i/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Bin Laden was constantly revolving in his mind the fact that he had got rid of the Russians; therefore, the Americans can be got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/bin-laden-was-constantly-revolving-in-his-mind-the-fact-that-he-had/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [How could believers, people who regard themselves as true Muslims, get on those planes, quoting the words of God delivered through the Prophet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/how-could-believers-people-who-regard-themselves-as-true-muslims-get/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [American power in the Middle East is collapsing. It doesn't need much more than a shove, and it will - and that's not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/american-power-in-the-middle-east-is-collapsing-it-doesn-t-need-much/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The Second World War is and was constantly being drudged up by Blair and Bush to rationalize the invasion of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/the-second-world-war-is-and-was-constantly-being-drudged-up-by-blair/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I'm not sure whether I've been happy. After my last book tour, I sat on my balcony with a cup of tea. I thought:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-m-not-sure-whether-i-ve-been-happy-after-my-last-book-tour-i-sat-on/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [“Terrorism” is a word that has become a plague on our vocabulary, the excuse and reason and moral permit for state-sponsored violence— our violence—which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/terrorism-is-a-word-that-has-become-a-plague-on-our-vocabulary-the/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [In just one year in Bosnia, thirty of my colleagues died. There is a little Somme waiting for all innocent journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/in-just-one-year-in-bosnia-thirty-of-my-colleagues-died-there-is-a/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Israel lost its war. Will Assad's enemies lose, too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/israel-lost-its-war-will-assad-s-enemies-lose-too/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush cruelly manipulated the grief of the American people - and the sympathy of the rest of the world - to introduce a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-cruelly-manipulated-the-grief-of-the-american-people/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I was very struck by the fact that Colin Powell said he would produce evidence of Osama bin Laden fault and then never produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-was-very-struck-by-the-fact-that-colin-powell-said-he-would-produce/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I've never seen a single demonstration in Pakistan, in the streets of Gaza, in the West Bank, in which the people have come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-ve-never-seen-a-single-demonstration-in-pakistan-in-the-streets-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/there-is-nothing-so-satisfying-as-to-be-shot-at-without-effect/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush will come here and there will be new "friends" of America to open a new relationship with the world, new economic fortunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-will-come-here-and-there-will-be-new-friends-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) [Explore all 92 Robert Fisk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## More Barbarian quotes > [One simply cannot engage in barbarous action without becoming a barbarian, because one cannot defend human values by calculated and unprovoked violence without doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/one-simply-cannot-engage-in-barbarous-action-without-becoming-a/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [If you go back to the Conan the Barbarian series, I really liked that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/if-you-go-back-to-the-conan-the-barbarian-series-i-really-liked-that/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [“(First Barbarian): whats the difference between a lord and a barbarian? (second Barbarian): As little as a week!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gonick/first-barbarian-whats-the-difference-between-a-lord-and-a-barbarian/) [Larry Gonick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gonick/) > [There are three attributes for which I am grateful to Fortune: that I was born, first, human and not animal; second, man and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thales/there-are-three-attributes-for-which-i-am-grateful-to-fortune-that-i/) [Thales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thales/) > [“It wasn't too much, to take a frail figure into one's arms for those last moments of life. Better than a cot, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/it-wasn-t-too-much-to-take-a-frail-figure-into-one-s-arms-for-those/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“The barbarian loves his own pride, and hates, or disbelieves in, the pride of others. I will be a civilized being, I will love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-blixen/the-barbarian-loves-his-own-pride-and-hates-or-disbelieves-in-the/) [Karen Blixen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-blixen/) > [“The Barbarian hopes — and that is the mark of him, that he can have his cake and eat it too.He will consume what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-barbarian-hopes-and-that-is-the-mark-of-him-that-he-can-have-his/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [“I don't believe in virgin sacrifice. It encourages promiscuity at an early age”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrianne-ambrose/i-don-t-believe-in-virgin-sacrifice-it-encourages-promiscuity-at-an/) [Adrianne Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrianne-ambrose/) > [It is better to kill the barbarian during his coming than to tell your children that there was culture, but the barbarians came and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/it-is-better-to-kill-the-barbarian-during-his-coming-than-to-tell/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [How is it that in the so-called barbarian ages art was understood, whereas in our age of progress exactly the opposite is true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/how-is-it-that-in-the-so-called-barbarian-ages-art-was-understood/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [The true barbarian is he who thinks everything barbarous but his own tastes and prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-true-barbarian-is-he-who-thinks-everything-barbarous-but-his-own/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Conan the Barbarian,' 'Star Wars,' 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Wizard of Oz' were my earliest VHS obsessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-eggers/conan-the-barbarian-star-wars-mary-poppins-and-the-wizard-of-oz-were/) [Robert Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-eggers/) > [“It was as if all my life had been spent fighting, killing and running. I wanted peace but I knew it was unattainable. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-nath/it-was-as-if-all-my-life-had-been-spent-fighting-killing-and-running/) [Fredrik Nath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-nath/) > [“How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar ! Rape, murder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-buchman/how-dare-you-and-the-rest-of-your-barbarians-set-fire-to-my-library/) [sidney buchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-buchman/) > [To be a great autocrat you must be a great barbarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/to-be-a-great-autocrat-you-must-be-a-great-barbarian/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 88 Barbarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone outside the Roman Empire was called a barbarian. 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