Conquest Through Analogy: Avodah Zarah 8b

When Rave Dimi came from Israel to Babylon, he taught:

Before the Romans allied themselves with the Jews, the Romans fought 32 battles with the Greek kings of Palestine.  The Romans made this deal with the Jews: 'If you become the kings, we'll be the mayors, and if you become the mayors, we'll be the kings.'

The Romans said to the Greeks, 'We've tried settling our dispute with war, now let's try reason.  If one has a pearl and another precious stone, which stone should be used as a setting?'  The Greeks replied, 'The pearl should be a setting for the precious stone.'

The Romans asked the Greeks, 'If one has a precious stone and a ruby, which one should be the setting for the other?'  The Greeks replied, 'The precious stone should be a setting for the ruby.'

The Romans asked the Greeks, 'If one has a ruby and a Torah scroll, which should be a setting?'  The Greeks replied, 'The ruby should be a setting for the Torah scroll.'

The Romans said, 'We are like a Torah Scroll compared to you, and Israel is on our side, so submit to us.'

The Greeks agreed and submitted.


I find this story strange on many levels.  Why would the Greeks and Romans revere a Torah scroll?  And how could such an analogy be so convincing?