Being a Bible believer, I believe the first three beasts were Babylon, Medo Persia, and Greece, as named in Daniel. I am not convinced that the fourth was/will be Rome.
:noid:
I was taught that Rome is merely the first stage of the 4th beast which has a better title being the empire of imperialism.
Remember that Daniel says he was perplexed by this beast in that nothing could resemble it. The major difference in government was in sending the Roman rulers to govern the conquered lands instead of setting up local selected rulers like the predecessors.
Furthermore the western powers and eastern powers are still practicing imperialism which is why we are on multiple continents trying to police the world. The Fourth Beast is whom we are now under and now we are in its Two Division Stage which will graduate into the One World Government Stage after the Magog invasion.
John said the Seven hills are Seven kings
"Five are fallen"
1. Tarquinius Kings
2. Plebeians
3. Counsellors
4. Triumvirate
5. Republic
"One is"
6. Rome
"One is to come"
7. The antichrist stage of Beast #4!
These are the successive forms of kingdoms Rome went thru up to John's day. This is who the five fallen are the one that is or was in his day (Rome) and the one to come (antichrist)
He who has ears to hear let him hear