Musnad Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili 159:44

Bishr ibn al-Walid narrated to us, Abu Ma'shar al-Madani narrated to us, from Sa'id al-Maqburi, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, arm's length by arm's length, span by span, and cubit by cubit, until even if one of them were to enter the hole of a lizard, you would enter it." Abu Hurayrah said: "Read, if you wish, the Quran: 'Like those before you; they were stronger than you in power...' until the end of the verse." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, like what Persia and Rome did?" He said: "And who are the people if not them?"