Was Rome better off as an 'empire' than as a republic

In my opinion I think that Rome was better as a republic because, while the senators were plotting to make Caesar king, they ended up murdering him, and that was very bad for the future. If the state would of just stayed with the republic, i think they may of been better off also because, after the king scare happened, the empire ended up falling.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RomaArcoGianoCostantino1.JPG