Ancient History

What I was trying to say is that China can be discussed in this thread if we're talking about the dinasties that are contemporary with western Ancient history.

yes

Anything before the end of the roman empire and the end of the han empire is considered ancient.

Emperor Justinian is not considered ancient?

I would say anything before 1BC is considered ancient. that is more then 2 Millenia ago.

Not quite as badass as the original Empire, but damn would I like to see the old Constantinople.

I think the problem for the Roman army was that the had to use a lot of tribesmen who fought very differently. They had drained their manpower too quickly, and by the time the Empire started to crumble, they were out.

Living > dieing. It's in every man, animal and even plant's nature to survive. The feeling of honour is bound to hinder you in battle.

I now imagine a Spanish soldiers thoughts going: "Holy crap, this city is awesome! Hey look, gold and pagans! RAGE MODE ACTIVATED!"

Didn't the Armada get beaten by the British after the storms? In history, giants can get beaten by lesser nations, armies or navies, but in a long, drawn-out war, the Aztecs didn't stand a chance, especially with the disease doing a lot of the work for the Spanish.

Exactly my point. Fighting with honour is nice and all, but it only helps when you fight other delusional people.

That was because the Romans were far stretched out. They controlled Europe with dwindling manpower, that's bound to go wrong.

Ah yes, I've read that it was a tactic to throw diseased corpses into enemy castles. Didn't know it came from the Mongols, and I especially didn't think the Europeans would remember to use that so much later.

That just goes to show how badass the Mongols were. Shame it only lasted about 60 years, they were some of the most tolerant people, and had a great understanding of using your resources, and those of your conquered enemies. They tended to avoid fighting, they'd rather absorb their enemies, and use their knowledge.

All extremism, of any form, should be avoided and stopped. You say you hate the Persian ways (or at least parts of it), however in your earlier comment you needlessly blame it on Europe.

You say that what the Spanish did in the Inquisition was awful (which it was, of course), yet the Aztecs doing virtually the same (mercilessly slaughtering people for religious reasons) is fine? That's hypocritical.

They are now...I guess.

I actually think they never thought they'd run out, and overextended. That's where it went horribly wrong for them.

Jews know their stuff, people somehow don't like that...and with no nation having Judaism as their main religion, they were the perfect scapegoat.

Leonardo da Vinci was born before Constantinople was taken. Still, the Ottomans have helped Europe more than they're credited for, I now realise.

The same goes for all non-western civilizations... Around the year 1000 Europe was in the middle of the Middle Ages while the Islamic world had its Golden Age...

Damn Greeks trying to be Romans, Or Romans trying to be Greeks. They always seem to copy each other in some way, shape, or form.

Towards the end of the empire, the Romans relied on Germans to fight Germans and didn't have the means to pay them anything. it's no wonder they collapsed.

We could propley have a discussion on why people thought suicide was honorable, now you can't really do that can you.

Then an Aztec would have come and said "Praise Jesus................. Protestant Jesus lulz"

Not really beat since 90-95% of the Armada was destroyed. The best bet for the Aztecs would be to leave or better yet destroy the cities and then live in the mountains using hit and run tactics in a long drawn out bloody war. Kidnapping children to fight for the Gods.

Yes and but it's also good not to go around being dishonorable and kicking everyone in the nuts in a fight (Metaphorically speaking)

And then the Romans got a wonderful idea.....invade Parthia.

The Mongols oficaly the first people to use a Biological agent (so really first use of a WMD) the Europeans don't see to forget much, heck there still Europeans who act like Napoleonic era was yesterday and hold grudges against each other.

Unless you pissed them off then you got butt fucked....See Baghdad and the current Persian Empire.

Persian culture did lead to Arab hatred of women, its nothing personal its just how it is.

Well the Spanish were doing it because they we're there and needed to spread Christ to the unbelievers via death, the Aztecs did it because their gods would not have made the crops grow and thus they would have starved it was based on the gods controlling agriculture, also getting sacrafised was the greatest of honors in the Aztec world.

Damn Spanish need to stay the course.

Now that they have there own country they are still a Scapegoat.....wow no one likes the Jews do they.

Leonardo was influenced alot by Byzantine and Ottoman Schollars, and the Byzantine empires collapse brought so much Greco-Arab culutre to Italy and Spain something was bound to happen.

There is a reason why people place the fall of the Byzantine empire at the end of the Middle ages.

I think it went from Romans wanting to be Greeks, and then Greeks wanting to be Romans.

I personally see nothing honourable in suicide. If done to save others, I can see it, however, as you'll be dead, there's nothing you'll ever gain from killing yourself.

Oh man that would be awesome.

Yeah, they might've been able to hold out for a bit longer, although pure isolation works, a tribe was recently discovered living in the Amazon.

I don't see why not. In war, the goal is to kill the enemy if they're in the way. If you're in a one-on-one swordfight and your enemy trips, you stab him in the face. Why? Because that's why you came to the fight.

What's better than a lot of land? MOAR LAND NAO!

Oh, blind nationalism, how I loathe thee!

There's no current Persian empire.

You pretty much blamed Europe by giving the Arabs the quote "women suck Europeans were right lololol" or something along those lines.

The Spanish thought that if they didn't cleanse the world of heathens and heretics, they'd eternally burn in hell. Not to mention those who were burned were seen as martyrs. And a lot of the sacrifices the Aztecs made were beaten enemies.

I never made that link myself...derp

For the Last Time: This is an ANCIENT HISTORY thread. Before commenting know what the thread refers to

But off-topic derailing is so cool.

It's pissing me off.

Get over it.

It's be easier to stay on topic if you actually proposed one. Just calm down.

How about them Britons?

Who cares, its all about them Parthians.

What about the Persian Empire? Largest empire up until Alexander came along.

How about them Atlantians, Oh wait.

Who's the Alexander the Great of our time?