What ancient civilisation would you like to live in?

[Belushi]

I'd like to try my hand as a hunter-gatherer. Maybe beachcombing in southern Asia 50,000 years ago.

That was probably a pretty plentifull life, iirc lifespans start shortening with the birth of agriculture.

 

[d.a.s.h]

Maybe beachcombing in southern Asia 50,000 years ago.

Walking along a beach, eating whelks. You can do that at Clacton. Where's the drama?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

That was probably a pretty plentifull life, iirc lifespans start shortening with the birth of agriculture.

People shrank with the monotonous diet, and work became regimented and hard. Civilisation's overrated.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Walking along a beach, eating whelks. You can do that at Clacton. Where's the drama?

Clacton beach has been somewhat spoilt over the years.

 

[d.a.s.h]

People shrank with the monotonous diet, and work became regimented and hard. Civilisation's overrated.

Must have had something going for it though, otherwise people wouldn't have changed from being hunter-gatherers to being farmers or herders.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Must have had something going for it though, otherwise people wouldn't have changed from being hunter-gatherers to being farmers or herders.

The main thing it has going for it is that it enables a much larger number of people to live off a particular area of land. In my example of beachcombing in southern Asia, this was the route people first took to Australia, and they were pushed on into the unknown in part at least by population pressures. Where such pressures don't exist or there is new fertile land to move into, agriculture doesn't develop.

 

[d.a.s.h]

Still don't see the attraction of beachcombing. Each day would be like the last.

Now Ancient Greece on the other hand, you've got Aristotle, Plato, Aristophanes, Archimedes (okay he lived in Syracuse), Pythagoras, Euripedes, Aeschylus and so on. What other ancient civilisation was as intellectually productive in such a short space of time?

 

[Dillinger4]

Sumerian.

 

[DotCommunist]

Roma Aeterna

 

[Private Storm]

Now Ancient Greece on the other hand, you've got Aristotle, Plato, Aristophanes, Archimedes (okay he lived in Syracuse), Pythagoras, Euripedes, Aeschylus and so on. What other ancient civilisation was an intellectually productive in such a short space of time?

All very well, but they used to drink their own piss. Not that clever eh?

 

[d.a.s.h]

That was for trips or something - artistic inspiration.

 

[camouflage]

I'd have to go for Minoan Crete, it seems to have been a cheerful and lively culture:

That or maybe Ancient Greece - they must have a lot going for them too, considering all the great thinkers the Ancient Greeks produced.

What would be your preferred ancient civilisation?

Probably best not to be a little boy in ancient Greece.

 

[camouflage]

Aztec

Or I'd have liked to be Cleopatra and bath in milk and die by the cobra!

The Aztecs were'nt really ancient but aside from that they weren't really... very nice.

 

[8ball]

None of them, because medical science can only just keep me alive as it is.

 

[camouflage]

Likewise none of them, because life was harder, brutisher, and shorter.

 

[rekil]

Roma Aeterna

Not Sparta?

 

[d.a.s.h]

Likewise none of them, because life was harder, brutisher, and shorter.

They look happy enough to me.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Not Sparta?

If I lived in Sparta, I think I'd rather be one of the Helots.

 

[d.a.s.h]

Fuck no, every year the Spartan youths had to prove their manhood by sneaking into Helot villages and killing at least one or two of them.

Anyway the Spartans weren't that great a fighting force, totally unlike as portrayed in that neo-con wankfest '300'. Mongolian horse archers would have had them no problem, despite all the Spartans' sick PE games.

 

[rogue_lettuce]

It's not really "ancient", but I dont think we're using the word strictly anyway, but I'd love to be a musician on board a pirate ship in one of the high periods of piracy. I've not quite decided what time frame or region yet, but that's the general idea. If you were lucky you'd end up on a ship, getting a 1/2 share or maybe even an equal share, with the other pirates, but your only responsibility would be playing music all day long and you would have no obligation to take part in the actual piracy bit, and you'd get a democratic say in how your ship operated. That sounds like the life for me.

 

[spring-peeper]

I would have loved to be part of one of the West Coast Indian tribes. I think it would be great to live by the ocean, fish and make totem poles.

 

[888]

Not Sparta?

Depends on whether homoerotic fascism's your thing or not I suppose.

 

[Belushi]

They look happy enough to me.

They look suspiciously Art Nouveu to me.

 

[i-am-your-idea]

ancient greece, or rome or with the eskimos

 

[8ball]

ancient greece, or rome or with the eskimos

Ummm . . .

 

[i-am-your-idea]

Ummm . . .

yes?

and i changed my mind, i'll pick a native america tribe

 

[8ball]

In that case I'm choosing the Belgians.

 

[agricola]

Rome during either the Second Punic War or during Caesar's time onwards. Failing that, to be with Cortes during the conquest of Mexico (admittedly, not that ancient), or with Pytheas during the discovery of Britain.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

So, in sum, you'd like to live as one of the privileged elite in a society where women are more or less confined to the home, and you have slaves to do your dirty work. Remember that you will be expected to complete some pretty scary military service to join said elite. Have you really thought this through?

Er, doesn't that apply to just about every ancient civilization, basically all of them before the 20th century?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Failing that, to be with Cortes during the conquest of Mexico .

That's kind of mean. Killing all those indians to get the gold.