Black Iron Prison from Philip K. Dick

I just want to say I have come to two conclusions while considering this:

0). The Roman empire, despite being so large and literate, has almost no financial books that we read today. Why did a Roman not invent "the invisible hand"?

1). How on earth did the Romans not invent steampower?

2). Is the most common multiverse government a Roman one?

Reading VALIS trilogy & latter Radio Free Albemuth was a lifechanging experience, about a core lifechanging PKD encounter. The idea of the BIP is a super strong idea among tbis, an atemproal archin dogging us. Very gnostic to me.

There's some Discordianism tie in too I think but Im forgetting exactly where.

Anyhow, highly recommend. Wish this had gotten more votes & traction, oddball as it is for this place.