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Which Ancient Civilization would you prefer to live under if you had a choice? So starting from the Ramses II Egyptian Kingdom to the fall of the Roman Empire.
For me, I wouldn't mind living in Rome during the Augustus reign. Of course I would rather live in modern society than back then. :laugh4:
I would have loved to live in Ancient Rome. particulary during the Pax Romana. I would have prefered to be a rich Roman too. sure it wasn't as comfortable as modern times but it would still be neat, I think.
Good idea for a thread.
I'd prefer to live in 1st century Rome, too. Preferably as a rich patrician, because the social differences were huge. If you think about their houses with atria, peristyls and fountains, it must have been a very pleasant live. Living as an ordinary worker would have been a different thing...
All in all, they didn't have the luxuries of modern technology like electricty and such, but they also head less stress and were not that exhausted, many of us today are. I think it was a lot more harmonious and chilled. Doing your business AM, then spending some hours with friends in the thermae, rest of the day is for your family and your own interests. Living to the rhythm of night and daylight is another pro.
Hmm, thinking about it, why do we give in to so much pressure today and treat ourselves so bad? I'd say we need some more slaves.:whip:
Living in Athens at the time of Perikles would be interesting as well, but it comes a second by a large margin.
Hi,
I read that the golden age in terms of peace and standard of living was the reign of Trajan (Traianus).
Sounds like a good idea until we come to the part to decide who will be a slave and who not.Quote:
Oroginally posted by Flavius Merobaudes
I'd say we need some more slaves.
!it burnsus!
Equestrian class living in 2nd century (A.D) Egypt would be a dream. :beam:
Either a Gallic Noble, or a Spartan. Spartan for obvious reasons and a Gallic Noble because they had everything a barbarian would want and got a massive sword.
In Egypt under Ramesses II, I have no idea why :2thumbsup:
Sparta in her golden age at the start of the Persian Wars. But, alternatively, I wouldn't mind marching into Persia alongside Alexander the Great, either.
Come on guys, I thought this thread would of been a hit. :embarassed: Let's make more comments please.
Rome and Greece are fine if your a man.
I'd prefer a culture which didn't treat me as weak, such as "barbaric" Britain or Gaul :inquisitive:
This probably because this has been discussed before, maybe not literally but you know what I mean.Quote:
Originally Posted by coalition
Greece was indeed very bad for women and women s rights - but Rome wasnt all that bad i read.Quote:
Rome and Greece are fine if your a man.
I'd prefer a culture which didn't treat me as weak, such as "barbaric" Britain or Gaul
!it burnsus!
Egypt under indigenous rule was supposedly quite a decent part of the ancient world to be a woman, at least compared to the alternatives. At least you could own property in your own right, divorce, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shieldmaiden
Thank you, my knowledge of Ancient Egypt is limited, I'll read up :book:
Ancient Rome during the Pax Romana, no doubt. Even if I wasn't a patrician, I'd still be guaranteed free bread, free baths, and free games. Who can beat that?
EDIT: Hahahaa, poor Shieldmaiden...
Nah, read about the Minoans and Therans (the real Atlanteans as a matter of fact). Women could actually vote, and were considered completely equal to men. They even drove chariots themselves! Now that is equality!! Egypt was nothing in comparison, although women were relatively privileged there. Not only this, but the Therans were the most advanced civilization until arguably the Medieval Islamic civilization, which finally surpassed them. The Therans even had running water and self-flushing toilets.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barbarossa82
For myself it would be in Scythian-Sarmatian society. One reason being what you cited. As a woman I would not be relegated to an inferiour position. The other reason being the freedom of living as a steppe nomad on the great plains. Give me a horse, a bow, and the steppe to roam as I wished and I would be a happy girl.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shieldmaiden
Unlike other Greek poleis, Sparta held high regard for women. They even fought with the army in the cases of Arachidamia and Chelidonis.
Actually, this very same topic did come up a while ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by YouHaveRecieved
Nice guess there by me.
Subrosa, weren't the Amazons actually led by women so wouldn't that just wipe every other civilization out the door.
That is true. If I had to live in any Greek City State it would be Sparta. I would only rarely have to see my husband, and have a much better life than women anywhere else in the Greek world.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartan198
The Amazons were women, exclusively. However, they were also a legend, like Centaurs and Herakles, not an actual historically documented society. Most people point to civilizations such as that of the Minoans and the Scythian-Sarmatians as being the probable nucleus of Amazon myths.Quote:
Originally Posted by YouHaveRecieved
Correct me if I am wrong but did they not raid Mikra Asia? Or was that just, as you say, Sarmation relatives but people thought they were Amazons.
Do you mean Asia Minor? That was one of the places the legends said they lived. Their city of Themiskyra was located on the coast of the Black Sea, by the Thermodon river. It is roughly where Sinope is in RTW. Herakles went there as part of his labours in order to take a magical belt from Queen Hippolyta. That is not history though, but pure myth.
OK, yeah Mikra Asia is the exact same as Asia Minor. So is it more like the battle of Troy myth as in it could most likely have been like that but there is no proof?
Yes, something like that. Obviously there was a historical basis in societies that neighbor Greece where women were not so suppressed. The word amazon is the Ionian Greek form of the Iranian word ha-mazan, meaning "fighting together." The regular Greek form would be hamazon, but over time it simply became amazon. This implies not an exclusively female society like we see in the myths, but one where women had a relatively equal status to men, fighting alongside them as members of the warriour aristocracy.
Cool, thanks for all the information.
greece in her golden age.... :book:
living in Augustan Rome. my Job:Eat, sleep, do random stuff, sleep . maybe enlisting in the Legions will work. gosh Modern Society just rules :freak:
I would prefer Bulgarians of course but if we're talking about Bc then The Empire of Alexander the Great during his reigh
I prefer Sparta ofcourse live the hard life:P:greece:
I would have lived in The Selecuid Empire and Carthage,as a Millitray General.:book:Quote:
Originally Posted by Prince of war
A nice little bumped thread here!
For me, there is nothing like the fame of Rome but if you wern't born into the right family/ class then more often than not you stayed there. In Barbarian tribes however if your strong and intelligent enough you can rise up the ranks quite quickly, out of them i'd say the Germanicus Tribes hold the most appeal.
Give me greece!
First of all, I can't help but say that this thread should have been in O/T (Tavern Frontroom).
Second, I find it interesting that most people here answered the question assuming they got to pick which segment of society they would belong. For me the question is much more difficult if you cannot. Living in Rome as a wealthy family or even a general is one thing, but as a member of the lower classes or soldier of the line would be very different indeed.
If you can choose your position, then why not say "Pharoah of Egypt" (better than Emporer of Rome - as many of them had decidedly short rules)
For that reason, I would have to choose a Greek city-state, or else a "barbarian" culture - preferably one far from Roman influence. Sparta is only good if you can be certain you would be a citizen and not a Helot. Rome was far too brutal, and I dare say we have fairly idealized views of it's "civilization".
Oh, and the other obvious answer that nobody states is Japan (another one not so bad for women - especially women of the samurai class), but I assume as this is within the RTW forum, that we are taking a western view.
I would want to be a free citizen in Athens at the peak of it's glory. Either writing/studying with the great scholars or leading an army.
Athens during city states. Entertainment wine and... Wait... Did they have slaves? Or was it only Sparta?:inquisitive:
They did.
Etruscans