Quote Originally Posted by antisocialmunky View Post
Then you are aware that the Sahara used to be a rain forest and have been drying up since pretty much forever. Maybe a asteroid landing in it helped it out but as far as long trends go, its been going on for a pretty long chunk of human history. That being said, the expansion of the Sahara waxes and wanes from time to time and maybe climate change has something to do with it. As for agricultural production in those areas at that particular time, I'm not aware that there were food production issues.

Well not including political things like the conquest of Carthage.
Fully aware. Also I'd have to agree with you, food production is not the issue when it comes to the fall of the empire, at least not in that area. But climate itself has much to do with many different things. General unrest in the populace perhaps; neighbouring regions maybe? I don't go for this whole 'climate change' thingy. Natural, cyclic variation, yes. I think a combination of factors co-incided and together caused a nation, in what could have been a slightly weak moment, to topple. The fact that half of it survived shows...something. I forgot what i was writing during that sentence, damn people at the door. And its far too late for me to really care anymore. But I'm not here to argue. There are many people, possibly many of them in this thread, who know much more than me and may even be willing to debate it.

Its unfortunate I think, especially for the poor people who had to live through it. But its been and gone, lets just hope it doesn't happen again.