The "Most Golden" of the Golden Ages

[Pindar]

Many kingdoms/empires/nations have experienced a time of regional hegemony. Excluding the present era, which of the above do you consider the most golden, the most glorious?

[Hobot]

I voted for Rome, they had an extremely long lasting and unprecedented Empire that included many religions, peoples and areas of the world...all of which were now interconnected. It's rather amazing, but if you look at the map of MTW, the Roman empire either encompassed or influenced pretty much all of it. They had a huge cohesive system and the Empire for all its faults was a fairly efficient and productive entity. In fact I believe that if communication and transportation were more easily available to the Romans, that the Empire would have last many centuries longer...perhaps never have fallen at all? For it is because they could not communicate or travel fast enough, that distant areas of the Empire could gain a measure of autonomy and grow insubordinate to the whole. Heck, it could have even grown into what the EU is becoming today

Romans rox...

*Disclaimer: I'm a big fan of Roman history*

[Drucius]

I think you'll find that the English didn't forge the empire single-handedly.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Portugal ain't in the poll so i won't vote. We had the first worldwide empire, although for a little while...

If i had to vote i would vote for Spain. They had the other half of the globe...

[Michiel de Ruyter]

Write-in vote:

The Dutch Republic (1609 - 1672): They are considered by some to be the third hegemon in world-history (besides the obvious two: present US and Victorian UK). Maybe not militarily, but they had a financial stranglehold on pretty much the rest of the world (to the dismay of most prominent Louis XIV).
A country with so much power that it became the envy of the rest of the world... up to the point where it had to face both France and the UK at the same time...

Gifts: Rembrandt, Vermeer and many other painters. Many scientists, who, among others invented the telescope, microscope, made many important steps in the worlds of science and even in law and philosphy. Or developed older techniques, and exanded upon them. Others: shares and stockholding and an improved banking system.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Hmmm you little dutch pirates, always trying to steal Brazil from us

[Hamburglar]

Definitely Rome.

During their height of power they controlled almost the entire world that they knew of and were very rich. They also were the most powerful militarily. They could pretty much crush any enemy at will. All of those other powers couldn't really trash all of their enemies.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Rome is interesting, given all the time they lasted, but i do not think i would label it the most golden. After all, they only had europe, a piece of africa and Asia around the mediterranium.

[Hamburglar]

Yeah but they had more land than most of the others had, plus they fought against tough armies to do it. The Spanish Empire involved shooting down guys that were still in the Dark Ages militarily.

[komninos]

Hi all,

I have voted for home … for obvious reasons.

Some things to note though … there are several great empires missing from this lot that where more than a powerful nation at their time to name a few, the Assyrians, Babylonians, Sumerians and lets not forget the Persian Empire. These sine bright not only for their power but also there Art and Knowledge. There are also some that are not there but they are dark … the Mongolian Golden Horde is one of them.

Now I would have separated the Hellenic from the Hellenistic Periods. They had different values and aspects. If they were not joined I would have voted for the Hellenic Golden Age in the 5th Century. The reason is that they set the basis for most of the sciences we have today, the reached unprecedented levels in literature, art, and philosophy. They also managed to give the light to several other civilizations with out ever being aggressive to them. Some of the greatest cities in the Mediterranean area originated from colonies they built.
On the military front they took up arms against the largest empire of the time only to be victorious in battles that were outnumbered by 1 to 10.
The Roman civilization copied and continued it to transport it to the Celtic and Germanic tribes while Alexander and its successor kingdoms transported it to the east and only missed the Chinese civilization by 10 years.

[Pindar]

Quote[/b] ]there are several great empires missing from this lot that where more than a powerful nation at their time to name a few, the Assyrians, Babylonians, Sumerians and lets not forget the Persian Empire.

Alas, there are only ten possible slots that one can use when making a poll. Choices had to be made. There certainly are many interesting nations that could have been chosen. This also applies to Portugal, The Netherlands, and Sweden, Japan etc.. I tried to allow for those nations/empires that combinded a real economic/cultural/military clout and left an international wake.

Quote[/b] ]Now I would have separated the Hellenic from the Hellenistic Periods.

The reason I merged Greece and the Macedonians together was, that while the Macedonians were a distinct people, they were nonetheless part of the Greek cultural sphere. For example: Philips phalanx had Greek roots, Aristotle was a Macedonian, and it was the conquests of Alexander that allowed Greek thought to move into the East.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Quote[/b] (Hamburglar @ Sep. 29 2003,22:57)]Yeah but they had more land than most of the others had, plus they fought against tough armies to do it. The Spanish Empire involved shooting down guys that were still in the Dark Ages militarily.

Not quite. spain at its prime was a definite Europeans power too. Later on, if the unification of the French and spanish crown was to take place the world as we know it would be totally different.

On the other hand i just like worldwide empires, so i'm pretty suspicious

It's really hard to compare golden ages.

[bighairyman]

almost every major country have their Golden ages, some have mor ethen others, i would have voted on the roman empire, way until 350AD before everything just become bad at once. the mongol empire in the 1250s. and Tang China, they creat beatifully poems and other works of lierature that are still tough in chinese schools in china. if you look at all 3, you will also find out that they 're all major military powers of their time.
so here's my though
military power=military domintion of an area=enconoic power=great works of art and lierature=golden age

[Lord Rom]

Rome give us Rome Right now