One of the more facinating reads of late is Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance--and Why They Fall by Amy Chua. It's a very important read because it not only charts the rise and fall of hyperpowers, it also shows how tolerance has changed since the days of the Persian Empire. It, of course includes the Roman Empire, but it includes a lot of historical hyperpowers of which you've probably never heard. And you don't necessarily have to read the chapters in order. It also shows how the nature of power has changed from military to commercial power.
As to her idea of 'glue' that keeps the hyperpower's "subjects" together, I think that expansion of what Thomas Barnett refers to as the "integrated core" in his book The Pentagon's New Map may be the 'glue' that Chua notes is currently missing.
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