As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it smote the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces;then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Dan. 2:34-35
In Daniel chapter 2, the king of Babylon was told there would be four kingdoms. i.e., Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. They are identified as metals of decreasing value: gold, silver, bronze, and iron. These same Empires are also specified in Daniel chapter 7 as four wild beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a terrible beast. And these same beasts reappear as the characteristics of one seven-headed sea monster in chapter 12 of The Revelation. Each time the four empires are mentioned, we are provided with more of their attributes and characteristics. The final version of the beast embodies the complex and interconnected symbolism across all these prophetic visions.
From our perspective in the 21st century, these ancient prophecies hold little of the future they once foretold. The four great empires are now nothing more than faded memories etched into history. Only echoes of their power and influence are left. Rome, the last of them, endures only as Vatican City—a symbolic remnant clutching tightly to the hearts of many. While they no longer govern the known world, each kingdom persists as a people with no empire. Yet, the prophecy conveys that one day, these nations will be shattered, broken apart, and scattered to the wind. This is where we are.
Regardless of how this happens, what we are concerned with is which countries are the objects of this prophecy. There are two possibilities. One, only the four nations that ran their respective empires are included. That would be Iraq, Iran, Greece, and the ten nations of Western Europe. The other is all the nations that fell under the sway of these Empires.
Nations of the Former Imperial Powers
These are the modern nations that were formerly under the control of these four imperial nations. They are the largest possible extent of those nations that are destined to be ground to dust. (Hope we got them all.)
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Armenia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
France
Germany (is too big)
Greece
Hungary
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Italy
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Netherlands
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Switzerland
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey
United Kingdom (is too big)
Vatican City