View Full Version : Which faction are you most interested in historically?
Teleklos Archelaou
09-20-2005, 21:44
Just curious...
What faction are EB fans most interested in historically? Not just playing them as a faction, but which do you like reading about and learning new things about? Of course there are probably more than one, but if you had to pick, which of the currently released EB factions would it be (maybe which would you like to take a good course in)? (plus I'll throw in some others)
Maybe not exactly the requirements for the answer your looking for, but I'd say Carthage. Mainly because I really know nothing of Carthage except... you know... Hannibal... and the Punic Wars.... I never figured out what culture they were, whose ancestors they are. I've heard different things like Hebrews and such. Were they a culture uniquely their own, now it's just gone? The stuff about their government being similar to the Roman republic is interesting. Such a powerful nation back in the day, can it be that they're completely gone, with nothing to show for it but some parts of history?
And the Carthage faction in EB looks stupendous, woo!
Carthage for me too.
I knew almost nothing about them before RTW but found them immediately fascinating & it continues because there is so little solid info.
The Mauryans made the list?
I was mostly interested in the Celts in general, so Gauls and Briton it is, but I find the Germans interesting as well.
Teleklos Archelaou
09-20-2005, 21:59
The Mauryans made the list?
I was mostly interested in the Celts in general, so Gauls and Briton it is, but I find the Germans interesting as well.
I know nothing about them - I just was trying to fill some spaces.
Big_John
09-20-2005, 22:10
i voted carthage.. but gauls too.. same same.
cunctator
09-20-2005, 22:18
From the Eb faction the romans, mainly because of the history of my home region.
Also the roman empire marks the end of antiquity and the transformation of the world with the rise of christianity and the medieval societies. Nearly all the classic cultures were at the end integrated or at least interacted with the roman world. More than any other culture the romans have the taste of perfection for me. I`ve once heard a nice sentences. "All the rivers of the old world end in the roman sea, thats the source of europe"
The Carthaginians come second. Mainly because of their seaborne activities, up to the azores and kanarian isles.
Baktria third. The devolopment of Greek colonist and their, planted somewhere in the hindukusch among completly different cultures, and seperated from the homelands mainstream.
But most fascinating for me are the early and bronze age cultures in the near east and the eastern mediterenean.
Unfortunatly I couldn`t read enough about most of them to satisfy me, but I plan to life long enough to do it.
Ianofsmeg16
09-20-2005, 22:21
Britons, i know so little about my home peoples, its inevitable i'm interested in them
Dux Corvanus
09-20-2005, 22:47
Maybe not exactly the requirements for the answer your looking for, but I'd say Carthage. Mainly because I really know nothing of Carthage except... you know... Hannibal... and the Punic Wars.... I never figured out what culture they were, whose ancestors they are. I've heard different things like Hebrews and such. Were they a culture uniquely their own, now it's just gone? The stuff about their government being similar to the Roman republic is interesting. Such a powerful nation back in the day, can it be that they're completely gone, with nothing to show for it but some parts of history?
And the Carthage faction in EB looks stupendous, woo!
Carthage belongs to Punic, Phoenician culture. It has its roots on the foundation, circa the beginning of the first millenium BC, of many Phoenician settlements in Western Mediterranean Sea, mainly by colonizers and merchants from Tyrus, following a fast recovery of the Phoenician cities in the Sirian coast, after the disasters of the Sea People invasions, some two centuries earlier.
Some of these settlements -such as Gader, in south Spain- had great success, profiting from African, Sicilian and Iberian resources, and the routes open to the tin commerce of the Atlantic cultures and the exploration of African western coast.
But the most successful of them all was Carthage (Kart-Hadast), founded by the Tyrian phoenicians around the 9th century BC. After the decadence of the Sirian-Lebanese ancient cities -due mainly to Assirian and Babylonian pressure and the later preminence of Achemenid Persians and Greeks (Alexander destroyed Tyrus in his quest)- Carthage remained as the main and more powerful Punic settlement in the known world, developing its own sincretic version of Punic culture and political entity, specially after the Greek naval defeat of Alalia, which gave Carthage a near monopoly in Western mediterranean commerce. It's aim for colonial expansion and its preponderant commercial role inevitably led Carthage to a direct clash with the other rising power in Western Mediterranean, Rome.
So, for your interest: Carthage was Phoenician. Culturally, had huge influences of every other culture they contacted. Punic is a known catch-all culture, and art and material culture was more related to the tastes of their commercial customers than to a spontaneous form of expression. In the Punic world, commerce was all.
QwertyMIDX
09-20-2005, 23:02
You forgot to put Saba on the list Dave. That's a faction I really want to play.
Carthage belongs to Punic, Phoenician culture. It has its roots on the foundation, circa the beginning of the first millenium BC, of many Phoenician settlements in Western Mediterranean Sea, mainly by colonizers and merchants from Tyrus, following a fast recovery of the Phoenician cities in the Sirian coast, after the disasters of the Sea People invasions, some two centuries earlier.
Some of these settlements -such as Gader, in south Spain- had great success, profiting from African, Sicilian and Iberian resources, and the routes open to the tin commerce of the Atlantic cultures and the exploration of African western coast.
But the most successful of them all was Carthage (Kart-Hadast), founded by the Tyrian phoenicians around the 9th century BC. After the decadence of the Sirian-Lebanese ancient cities -due mainly to Assirian and Babylonian pressure and the later preminence of Achemenid Persians and Greeks (Alexander destroyed Tyrus in his quest)- Carthage remained as the main and more powerful Punic settlement in the known world, developing its own sincretic version of Punic culture and political entity, specially after the Greek naval defeat of Alalia, which gave Carthage a near monopoly in Western mediterranean commerce. It's aim for colonial expansion and its preponderant commercial role inevitably led Carthage to a direct clash with the other rising power in Western Mediterranean, Rome.
So, for your interest: Carthage was Phoenician. Culturally, had huge influences of every other culture they contacted. Punic is a known catch-all culture, and art and material culture was more related to the tastes of their commercial customers than to a spontaneous form of expression. In the Punic world, commerce was all.
Very interesting, thanks. So it came down to the wire between Carthage being the dominant empire or Rome, and Rome won huh? World could have been a very different place had Carthage expanded I suppose.
The Germanic tribes, myself.
Revolting Friendship
09-20-2005, 23:25
Parthians is number one, second Sarmatia, I love eastern horse-cultures, their style of fighting, the way their equipment looks etc.
I do like greek military tradition too thought, hoplites with curiously painted hoplons marching into battle in tight formations is another sight I relish, and it would have been awesome trying to hold against the roman onslaught and change history with a greek faction, too bad the AI's got nothing on me and never will. *sigh*
Yeah, my preference revolves largely around the visuals. ~D
As a paranthesis, a classical hellenistic mod for RTW would be great. Does anyone know about this happening somewhere?
I like all the factions to tell you the truth, and I already played with them all. ~D
But! there is an unknown faction that I really like. ~;)
Whats this now about an unknown faction? ~:eek:
I voted for Greece, primarily due to the Spartans, i find them fascinating. Carthage would be a close second, not because im interested in their culture at all but because i think Hannibal was the greatest General in History and love reading about his campaigns in Italy.
Steppe Merc
09-21-2005, 00:01
Parthia and Sarmatians. Parthians win out by a smidge. ~D
Reverend Joe
09-21-2005, 00:06
I am going to have to go with Carthage- I like Baktria, but Carthage has always been my favorite.
But why is there no "Gah"? Or is it assumed that such an option is unneccesary, given the nature of this forum?
Teleklos Archelaou
09-21-2005, 00:30
You forgot to put Saba on the list Dave. That's a faction I really want to play.A-hah. But I specifically said it doesn't matter which one you want to play as, only which one you were most interested in (in respect to history, culture, archaeology, etc). ~D
Mr Jones
09-21-2005, 00:34
You forgot to put Saba on the list Dave. That's a faction I really want to play.
nice try but i don't think anyone will fall for that ;)
AntiochusIII
09-21-2005, 04:47
Seleucids. I never really figured out how the world passed from Rome to Alexander, and who exactly was between Alexander and the "Persians" (i.e. Parthians) when I was ignorant but fascinated by history. The other factions are much easier to learn about (lots more resources) and therefore my fascination is now much less. Even now I couldn't really figure out how exactly did those Seleucid monarches rule their lands; and what kind of "land" were they ruling.
QwertyMIDX
09-21-2005, 04:51
nice try but i don't think anyone will fall for that ;)
Ha, I actually do, I'm becoming obsessed.
jurchen fury
09-21-2005, 05:10
Since there's no "Other factions" option, I chose the Scythians. Scythian/Saka culture extended as far east as the Altai on the western boundary of modern-day Mongolia, as evidenced by the Saka/Scythian type kurgans found in the Pazyryk.
Divinus Arma
09-21-2005, 08:11
Well...
I first looked for "Casse" but seeing it absent, the Britons. The British are the fathers of America. So, Naturally...
And unfortunatley, I have just finished my last 12oz of Newcastle Brown Ale. ~:mecry:
Thats 6 of those and 2 shoits of bacardi in 2 hours. I will attempt to keep my wits about me. :knight:
Mouzafphaerre
09-21-2005, 10:05
.
All! :charge:
.
Birka Viking
09-21-2005, 11:38
Lol
Well I'm really interested in all factions except for Rome because I know "a lot" about them already while I don't know much about other cultures. But if I really have to choose I think Celts and Carthage.
Alexander still pulls it of for me. so i guess macedon.
otherwise the greek and/or Seleucids and Baktrians.
Bar Kochba
09-21-2005, 15:24
should have ancient isreal on the list
Geoffrey S
09-21-2005, 16:58
Riiight...
Aedui for me; it's a fascinating culture, and it'll be great to see what I can do with it to improve how they fared in reality.
I first looked for "Casse" but seeing it absent, the Britons. The British are the fathers of America. So, Naturally...
Wrong British.
ScionTheWorm
09-21-2005, 18:14
the germans. they're metal and they kick ass
Crusader4thepeople
09-21-2005, 19:06
Id say greek mainly cuz of sparta aswell, but then theres loads of others dacia,thrace pontus, carthage and numidia
Spendios
09-21-2005, 19:07
I anwered Kingdom of Pontus because the birth of the kingdom is quite fascinating and it was also an interesting mix of hellenic and oriental cultures.
*shouts in an impressive deep voice after seeing Rome in the lead*
"Roman dogs! You shall feel the blade of my falcata!"
~;)
Simetrical
09-21-2005, 21:20
I first looked for "Casse" but seeing it absent, the Britons. The British are the fathers of America. So, Naturally...Not really. They were mostly supplanted by the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes in England, Germanic tribes that invaded when Rome left. There's a reason we speak a descendant of Anglo-Saxon and not a descendant of Celtic. (The Normans, more Germanics, also influenced our language after their invasion in 1066, but they spoke Norman, a descendant of Vulgar Latin probably most similar to modern French. Thence many pairs of words in English: a common Germanic form, and a "fancier" Latin form. Compare, for instance, look and examine, or king and monarch―although that latter ultimately stems from Greek, it came to us through Latin.)
should have ancient isreal on the listThat would be roughly four centuries out of period, give or take, depending on how you count. Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom in roughly 722 BCE, exiling much of its population (the Ten Tribes) and basically destroying it as a Hebrew state. In the 580s, Babylon seized the southern Kingdom of Judah; the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persian Empire in the 540s-530s, giving Israel brief semi-independence until it was recaptured by Persia a decade or two later.
In the 330s, Alexander toppled Persia and took over Israel. Upon his death, the Seleucids and Ptolemaics began a series of constant battles over ownership of the province, which eventually ended with the Seleucids victorious. In about 180 BCE, the Maccabees revolted and kicked out the Seleucids, making an independent Maccabeean Kingdom for about a century. Then the Romans took over, and after a few failed Judean rebellions, they got annoyed and razed the Jewish Temple, killed and exiled Jews by the thousands, and generally ended Jewish control over the region until the modern State of Israel.
So unless you're thinking of the Maccabeean Kingdom, including ancient Israel would be rather like including ancient Egypt or Assyria or Babylonia: completely anachronistic.
Dux Corvanus
09-21-2005, 22:03
British are not the fathers of America. Only of the U.S.A., and part of Canada. America is a huge continent, colonized by no less than four Modern Age European powers.
And discovered by Asian paleolithic hunters, 10000 years ago. ~;)
Ha! This thread is a mini Punic war! :charge:
British are not the fathers of America. Only of the U.S.A., and part of Canada. America is a huge continent, colonized by no less than four Modern Age European powers.
And discovered by Asian paleolithic hunters, 10000 years ago. ~;)
The ancestors of the modern day Native American, correct?
Reverend Joe
09-22-2005, 04:03
Divinius- I don't mean to flog a dead horse here, but you are taking a rather Anglocentric view on America. Actually, I would rather say that the Spanish and French were the founders of America, and that the British, for the most part, came later.
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1711/beatingadeadhorse6bw.gif
Oh, well...
Strike For The South
09-22-2005, 04:07
Pax Romana
Colovion
09-22-2005, 07:26
I'm infatuated with all history. The Question is a GAH!
but I choose Kart'hadish, largely because of their bittersweet history.
After becoming infatuated with these ancient traders and the histories of the Gaulish tribes I have grown to despise the Romans wholeheartedly. Pax Romana is a disgusting term and is kin to phrases any politician crafts to bring their people to heel around a noble idea, skewed into the domination and destruction of different cultures.
Divinius- I don't mean to flog a dead horse here, but you are taking a rather Anglocentric view on America. Actually, I would rather say that the Spanish and French were the founders of America, and that the British, for the most part, came later.
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1711/beatingadeadhorse6bw.gif
Oh, well...
werent all the people that led the rebellion(war of independance) of british decent? didnt they found the USA? though i freely admit i know nothing of american history except for a little about the civil war.
Actually, the war of US indepedence was fought by British, French, Dutch, German, Polish and a few other groups, though not all by purely descent; French were mostly allies, and the Poles were largely mercenaries, but there were many British, Dutch, and German descended individuals there.
*shouts in an impressive deep voice after seeing Rome in the lead*
"Roman dogs! You shall feel the blade of my falcata!"
~;)
well. Iberia is nice. but there's just too little information...
the mere fact that EB calls their troops by their Latin names says enough..
Divinius- I don't mean to flog a dead horse here, but you are taking a rather Anglocentric view on America. Actually, I would rather say that the Spanish and French were the founders of America, and that the British, for the most part, came later.
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1711/beatingadeadhorse6bw.gif
Oh, well...
The French? Brasil anyone? :rolleyes:
Well. Iberia is nice. but there's just too little information...
the mere fact that EB calls their troops by their Latin names says enough..
That's my point...Rome is the faction we know most about. Isn't it a lot more interesting to view other less known factions?
And...
After becoming infatuated with these ancient traders and the histories of the Gaulish tribes I have grown to despise the Romans wholeheartedly. Pax Romana is a disgusting term and is kin to phrases any politician crafts to bring their people to heel around a noble idea, skewed into the domination and destruction of different cultures.
My thoughts exactly...not to mention many people (including CA) have this preconceived idea that other cultures were mere bumps in road of Rome becoming an Empire. Rome's ascendency was far from being inevitable.
To me it's much more fun crushing the Romans than to play with them...In vanilla I used to ferry troops around the map and keep the romans from expanding too much. Many a times did I recuperate the Macedons, the Greeks, the Carthaginians, the Iberians and all those other factions from being swept away by the Roman flood. Hopefully, EB will change all this.
Roma delenda est! :rtwno:
~;)
Ellesthyan
09-22-2005, 21:07
Nice last sentence Sarcasm ~D
I voted Ptolemees; a very cool little kingdom, arguably the center of hellenic culture and knowledge.
Nice last sentence Sarcasm ~D
I voted Ptolemees; a very cool little kingdom, arguably the center of hellenic culture and knowledge.
Little kingdom? I think it's one of the most powerfull factions at the beginning of the game. ~:eek:
Simetrical
09-23-2005, 04:56
British are not the fathers of America. Only of the U.S.A., and part of Canada. America is a huge continent, colonized by no less than four Modern Age European powers.A·mer·i·ca http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/JPG/pron.jpg (https://secure.reference.com/premium/login.html?rd=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DAmerica) Pronunciation Key (/help/ahd4/pronkey.html) (ə-mĕrhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifĭ-kə)
The United States.
also the A·mer·i·cas (-kəz). The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=America
Byzantine Mercenary
09-23-2005, 16:50
Im always most interested in the factions i know the least about, thats why i chose the Mauryans, who were they?
< sticking with the American theme re Maurians >
Injuns!
With bows & arrows & big slow horsies.
alman7272
09-24-2005, 04:55
Gauls, Britons, and Germans. I've only started 3 or so serious campaigns in RTW, never got close to finishing any like I did in MTW (I only finished like 2 or 3, mods included but still played longer than RTW). 1 of those 3 was the Germans. Pretty fun, but the lack of variety in barbarian units in vanilla RTW turned me off. Actually, seeing EB's unit diversity kinda made me see RTW units as bland and uninteresting. Maybe that's why I was never able to get a campaign going. But now I know I'll be starting one from one of those 3 factions, and hell, maybe even Baktria. And I am also interested in pre-Islamic Arabia, I don't know why, not much information on the Internet though and I really don't know many books on the subject either so while Im interested in it, I'm not too well read in it either.:book:
Two stats impresses' me on this poll. The high interest shown in Bactria and the VERY low interest shown in Macedonia. ~:confused:
Divinius- I don't mean to flog a dead horse here, but you are taking a rather Anglocentric view on America. Actually, I would rather say that the Spanish and French were the founders of America, and that the British, for the most part, came later.
Hey! I think you forgot about Portugal? Actually forget the French, it is Portugal and Spain. The treaty of Tordesillas clearly divided the world between Spanish and Portuguese rule. Before the official discovery of Brazil, the Spanish had the right to the hole continent of America as it was on their part of the share. After seeing that Brazil was not an island and that there was a lot of land there the Portuguese moved to change the treaty so as to give Portugal a big part of South America. ~:)
Of course before Columbus got to the Domenican Republic and Cuba, other european navigators had already sailed to America. Some of them French, some Spanish but most of them Portuguese.
All that debate is endless as "founders" is a very relative concept. The Vikings got to America long before the "Age of Discovery". Not to mention that the indian population in America (North, South and Central) descend from Asia. So the Asians got to America probably before anyone else.
Yay for jerby! ~:cheers:
what did i miss??
*edit: ah, i see... I'm just like Alexander..and i haven't got a clue what happened to macedon after him (and during the diadochi) that's why I'm interested. ~;)
All that debate is endless as "founders" is a very relative concept. The Vikings got to America long before the "Age of Discovery". Not to mention that the indian population in America (North, South and Central) descend from Asia. So the Asians got to America probably before anyone else.
It's thought that the Native Americans conducted trade with Asian peoples.
And since everybody actually comes from Africa, it was the Africans who discovered America, TWICE! First the ones who became "Asians" and crossed the Bering(sp) Strait, then, later, the ones who became "Europeans" in the Age of Discovery.
So, the dispute for the American continent is actually a "civil war" of distant brothers and cousins. :dizzy2: ~D :balloon2:
And since everybody actually comes from Africa, it was the Africans who discovered America, TWICE! First the ones who became "Asians" and crossed the Bering(sp) Strait, then, later, the ones who became "Europeans" in the Age of Discovery.
So, the dispute for the American continent is actually a "civil war" of distant brothers and cousins. :dizzy2: ~D :balloon2:
Yep, you got that right. ~D
[quote=NeonGod]It's thought that the Native Americans conducted trade with Asian peoples.[/b]
They actually migrated from Asia to America.
argh..what's teh deal! we all came from Africa!~;)
Dux Corvanus
09-25-2005, 19:56
A·mer·i·ca http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/JPG/pron.jpg (https://secure.reference.com/premium/login.html?rd=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DAmerica) Pronunciation Key (http:///help/ahd4/pronkey.html) (ə-mĕrhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifĭ-kə)
The United States.
also the A·mer·i·cas (-kəz). The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=America
A-mé-ri-ca=
1. A very large continent, not named after the one who re-discovered it, but after the one who really realized what it was. The citizens of a single country seized unilaterally the whole name for themselves and put it into their dictionaries. Surely because they wanted the whole continent, too. Just as if the Germans say "Europe" to refer to only Germany, and the rest of us have to believe it just because it is in the German official dictionary. ~:rolleyes:
2. A new world, full of the people we didn't want in the old one. But also of silver, tomato, potatoes, chocolate, tobacco, turkeys, parrots, cocaine and corn. I love roasted parrot with tomato and chips.
3. Familiarly, the wife of Americo Vespucci, as their milkman used to call her.
4. A thing that the Russian baddies of the movies of the 70s say with a vicious grin: "Ammerrrika!"
http://aconvenient.dictionaryIhavejusttowinallarguments.com
~:joker:
anonymous_joe
09-25-2005, 21:17
How does Macedonia only have one vote?! (I voted Gaul, cos there was no option for all the Celts...)
How does Macedonia only have one vote?! (I voted Gaul, cos there was no option for all the Celts...)
hmm... i wonder who..
i really, really hate rome for being on #1...
people seem to find rome three steps above all other factions because they conquered the world, but i don't find them so great actually..bunch of arogant, intolerant, hyper-religious,earth conquering freaks..(~;) )
i stillthink greece could have conquered the world..if greeks were ever to stop fighting each other...
soemhow i feel many peopel will be disapointed to see that rome isn't as superior as they tought it was..
anonymous_joe
09-26-2005, 21:17
Greeks weren't great either. Much like the Romans in fact. Just not as organised. Go Celts! :charge:
Simetrical
09-27-2005, 04:16
A-mé-ri-ca=
1. A very large continent, not named after the one who re-discovered it, but after the one who really realized what it was. The citizens of a single country seized unilaterally the whole name for themselves and put it into their dictionaries. Surely because they wanted the whole continent, too. Just as if the Germans say "Europe" to refer to only Germany, and the rest of us have to believe it just because it is in the German official dictionary. ~:rolleyes:We should also stop this silliness of referring to the entire continent south of Eurasia as "Africa". Everyone knows that Africa actually only refers to Carthage, Libya, and certain parts of what we now erroneously characterize as northern Africa. And what's with those selfish English stealing the name "Angle-land" from the descendants of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who remained behind in Germanic territory? Then there are those Spaniards, taking the name of an entire peninsula, imagine the audacity! I vote we all return to the first known name for any geographical region and put an end to this nomenclatural theft.
-Simetrical, proud resident of Scheyischbi Island
We should also stop this silliness of referring to the entire continent south of Eurasia as "Africa". Everyone knows that Africa actually only refers to Carthage, Libya, and certain parts of what we now erroneously characterize as northern Africa. And what's with those selfish English stealing the name "Angle-land" from the descendants of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who remained behind in Germanic territory? Then there are those Spaniards, taking the name of an entire peninsula, imagine the audacity! I vote we all return to the first known name for any geographical region and put an end to this nomenclatural theft.
-Simetrical, proud resident of Scheyischbi Island
What about Portugal? And Angle-land is a political name.
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