Roman Empire

"Of course, the Roman Empire eventually collapsed, and those who favored a more disciplined existence were quick to claim that decadence was the cause. And though it may be true that a raging hangover might impair one's ability to govern efficiently, hedonism was not the cause of the grand unraveling. Among many other factors, the great empire had simply overextended itself, and its vast territories with their multitude of cultures, religions, languages, and mass migrations had become too large to manage under a single system of common law and government.'

And though there are lessons to be drawn from the fall of an empire, the suppression of personal freedoms and pleasure will never prevent the chaos and destruction that can be wrought by misguided politics and extremist religions." -Michael Flocker, The Hedonism Handbook