Why was the fourth beast different from all the empires before it?
The fourth beast differed because it marked the beginning of a democratic form of government never before dreamed of, unlike earlier empires. It was strong politically, devoured and stamped the residue, and had ten horns, representing kings, with a semicolon jumping to the revived Roman empire.
Les explains that this beast had control of the then-known world over the general population like no other empire before it. It had great iron teeth, meaning it was strong politically, and it devoured, broke pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was diverse or different from all empires before because it was the beginning of a democratic form of government that had never been dreamed of before. The semicolon after that description jumps about 1,700 years of time, from the Roman empire—which ended between 300 and 400 A.D.—up to the present time and the appearance of the European community as the revived Roman empire. The ten horns refer to kings and become the base of operation for the world ruler called the Antichrist, picking this up in Revelation chapter 13.