New Roman Empire - Definition and Overview

Italy, Libya, Albania, and Italian East Africa (modern day Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia) was the beginning of Mussolini's "New Roman Empire." Mussolini saw Fascist Italy as the beginning a new great era of Italian history and fascism as a great new gift to the world from the Italians. (like Roman law, the Renaissance, etc had been) If he had not declared war on the allies when the German victory over France was certain, he would have kept it for Italy. It is also likely that if Italy hadn't sided with Germany, it might have slowly increased its "empire." Mussolini however saw the power of Nazi Germany and knew that Italy could be easily swept aside by it and so became Germany's ally.