What ancient civilization should we look up to the most?

[smooth_operator]

Question is pretty simple. We know for a fact that somehow, we owe a lot to the ancient civilizations for our current way of life --- one way or the other. I was just wondering who among these great civilizations(ex. Sumerian, Babylonian, Chaldean...NOT LIMITED TO THE CIVILIZATIONS FROM THE FERTILE CRESCENT) deserve the greatest praise in terms of economics, laws, customs, etc... Feel free to post your thoughts.

[Centurion1]

None because to be honest they are all ignorant savages compared to my own civilization.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I'm a big fan of Carthage. Fascinating civilisation, great stories to be told about them.

[A Nerd]

I have always had a keen interest in ancient Egypt. I will take the time to watch any documentary I come across on TV to learn something new. I don't really like to read, but I might take up a book on the subject should I come across one that sparks my interest.

[Kralizec]

I'm a big fan of Carthage. Fascinating civilisation, great stories to be told about them.

Not that I know much about them, but I always found them interesting. I wonder how the world would have turned out if they had somehow prevailed against Rome (and burned down their cities,poured salt over the charred ground etc.)

[Samurai Waki]

Meh... All those ancient civilizations fell for one reason or another, that's why they're called ancient. The Lost tribes of Papua New Guinea (such as the Dani) have more or less lived unchanged for just as long as the Ancient Egyptians/Greeks and they're still going pretty strong.

[Skullheadhq]

The Hebrews, best laws and cool history.

[al Roumi]

Persia. It gets so much stick from the jingoism of the greeks that it simply must be more interesting than the denigration it receives.

Also, the ancient Hindus.

[Populus Romanus]

No one has mentioned the Roman Republic yet? Shame, shame.

[Skullheadhq]

No one has mentioned the Roman Republic yet? Shame, shame.

Economics weren't that good (exodus of the plebeians, Grachi etc.), laws were basically 12 stone tables with very primitive social structure being enforced in it. Customs (gladiatorial fight, debt slavery etc.) weren't things to be proud on either. Roman laws started to become somewhat good with the Codex Iuris Civilis which was issued around 520 by the emperor in Constantinople and economy in the eastern part of the empire was better anyway, which was only acquired in the late aftermath of the republic (inheritance of Pergamon, Pompeius in the east) which took place 300 to 450 years after the founding on the republic. Not only that, but the political system of the (late) republic was as corrupt as Italy.

[InsaneApache]

The Greeks. Not the current lot, their forbears.

Great philosophers in Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, (sounds like the Brazilian footy team ) etc.

They used reason and maths to try and explain the world around them, rather than superstition. They even got within a few miles of the circumference of the Earth.

Mathematicians like every schoolboys chum, Pythagoras. With an honourable mention to Eratosthenes.

Not to mention the Demos and the Kratos that I am so fond of.

A truly remarkable people.

[Skullheadhq]

Not to mention the Demos and the Kratos that I am so fond of.

I prefer the Monos and the Kratos.

[Kralizec]

Economics weren't that good (exodus of the plebeians, Grachi etc.), laws were basically 12 stone tables with very primitive social structure being enforced in it. Customs (gladiatorial fight, debt slavery etc.) weren't things to be proud on either. Roman laws started to become somewhat good with the Codex Iuris Civilis which was issued around 520 by the emperor in Constantinople and economy in the eastern part of the empire was better anyway, which was only acquired in the late aftermath of the republic (inheritance of Pergamon, Pompeius in the east) which took place 300 to 450 years after the founding on the republic. Not only that, but the political system of the (late) republic was as corrupt as Italy.

The Codex Justinianus was just a gathering of pre-existing statutes in a single, comprehensive book of law. As a codified lawbook it was a milestone, but didn't change the substance of Roman law. The same for the other parts of the corpus juris (case law and writings from respected lawyers); the contents existed long before but it was bundled into a single package.

Please illustrate why you think that Hebrew law was "better" than early Roman law

[Arjos]

Persian (with them must add Babylonian and Egyptian, as they kinda carried their legacy) and Indian, easily the most influencial...
Chinese close behind, but their "protectionism" made them a separate world...

[Populus Romanus]

People do not take into account how these civilizations treated 50% of their population. How can someone possibly look up to the Greeks or Chinese when they treated their women like slaves? That is why Rome is good, for though they can hardly be said to have treated women equally, they were better than most of the rest.

[Arjos]

Imo when I look at the Chinese's achievements and the Romans', is completely matchless...
Obviously all ancient civs compared to the modern one are "less free", but for example with the Chinese only Daoism, Confucianism and literature are a huge portion of modern thinking...

[Vladimir]

I prefer the Monos and the Kratos.

I prefer the Homos and the Kratos on one particular island.

[leonardo davinci]

i am always fascinated about the Romans, because they managed an empire that streched from england to russia and from denmark to the sahara. they had the same laws everywhere and an army that worked with machine-like precision. their language and religion changed europe and parts of asia forever. many languages are still very similar to latin. they just created the world as it is now. nos non sumus, ut romani non erant. mundo sine romani, mundo sine nos est.

[InsaneApache]

Romans they go the house?

[Louis VI the Fat]

nos non sumus, ut romani non erant. mundo sine romani, mundo sine nos est.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MODERATE THIS FORUM WHEN PEOPLE WRITE IN GREEK!?

[Vladimir]

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MODERATE THIS FORUM WHEN PEOPLE WRITE IN GREEK!?

Hey, it's all Greek to me.

[smooth_operator]

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MODERATE THIS FORUM WHEN PEOPLE WRITE IN GREEK!?

It's Latin actually....roughly translates to "we are not, as they were not Roman. without the Roman world, the world, without us it is."

[Brandy Blue]

Perhaps this would be easier to understand:

"We would not be who we are, if it were not for the Romans. Without the Roman world, our world would not exist."

That's not literal, but I think it captures the message in clear English.

[Skullheadhq]

Perhaps this would be easier to understand:

"We would not be who we are, if it were not for the Romans. Without the Roman world, our world would not exist."

That's not literal, but I think it captures the message in clear English.

Which is complete nonsense. The Roman 'culture' is just a (failed) copypaste of Greek culture while most of the Roman influence in the west was destroyed by the barbarian invasions of the late 400's. Just by the Greek scientist fleeing to the west in the late 1450's, bringing Greek knowledge back to western Europe,was the renaissance sparked. The exarchate of Ravenna made it that Italy was under Greco-Roman influence until 756 and Southern Italy until the late 11th century, therefor making Italy slightly more cultural advanced, which was why the renaissance didn't spark in England or France or Austria.

[Arjos]

Also let's not forget the islamic golden age, and especially all the work made by the Hauteville...