h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm sure this has been mentioned elsewhere on here at some point but can't remember so I'm asking here!

Which, if any, country has managed top nation status more than once?
By which I mean a country which has grown to have large influence in the world (eg Persian Empire, Roman Empire, British Empire, Russia/US in the 20th C) then lost it and then got it back again after some time?

So not just a dip in fortunes but actually rebuilt the power base after having properly lost it?

I can't think of any that have done so on a global scale...but on a regional scale, Israel could be considered?

RF

China is the most obvious.


Less obvious is England, after losing the 13 Colonies, it was a while before took effective control over India. Whilst we didn't have a total loss of influence it was the period where we were most at risk of a decisive loss to France. Requiring innovation in the navy, agriculture, banking, taxation and the birth of industry.

yeah, I thought of England and my knowledge of how much loss of power/influence there was between BE1 and BE2 wasn't good enough to tell if it would count or not.

China. Don't know enough about their history. Certainly been powerful for a long time, but perhaps not so influential and outgoing hence not as important globally? And is the recapture of power what they are doing now or do you refer to history?