What era fascinates you?

I confess that my understanding of history is very EURO-centric.

Given that, ROME is the empire against which all others are measured.

But the span of the Roman Empires (note that there were two?) really demands that anybody interested in those empires pretty much would have to devote their full attention to them to really get a handle on their histories.
 
Or if not fascinates...but you find yourself drawn to the most?

For me...11th century to the 17th century. Mainly european although I do have a fascination for USA mobsters of the 20th century.

The Stone Age

Humans were slow moving food that was mostly stuck to the ground. Higher brain power or not, you can only do so much with a pointy stick.

Aside from that, I'm fascinated by the battles that took place before long range was the norm.

How do you look another man in the eye, and sink a weapon in him, then watch him die, and then move on to another and another?
 
From what I saw on spartacus, romans used a rag on the end of a stick to wipe...then the rag and stick was dunked in a bucket of water for the next person.:eek:

But I guess it beats using a leaf...or nothing at all.:lol:
Rag on a stick as toilet paper always struck me as an urban myth, at least more accurately they're said to have used a sponge which was cleaned after each use. The most convincing evidence for that theory is that both rags and sponges were too expensive to toss after one use.

Still their diet may have made any kind of tool unnecessary; and regularity combined with the ubiquitous bath, even in the wealthy home/villa could offer less unsanitary methods of dealing with personal hygiene.

But we know that they used urine as a teeth whitener and as a laundry cleaning agent.
 
This may sound kind of "out there"....but I think the strong draw to a particular time is one of our past lifetimes. Which means reincarnation, which Im not sure about. But why else would we be "urged" in our subconscious to feel the fascination to that particular era? And if that thought doesnt float your boat...then what do you think made you find that era so magnetic to you?
(Asked in general to everyone).

Imeuru, I have found that the reincarnation is particularly a compenent of the female speculation and spirituality. I have a corresponding theory that the reason for that is women are not top dogs (usually) and they have a hope for a better deal next time.
 
I was born twelve years after WWII. That put me front and center to watch the 60s. My first memory of world events was the Cuban missile crisis (when the grown ups are afraid the world might end, you tend to pay attention).

But my aunts and uncles were alive and vigorous during the Depression and the war. Life on the home front was often discussed and it fascinated me. That's what I'd like to experience.

My grandfather was an air raid warden during the war. We live 450 miles from the Atlantic coast, but they still had blackouts and air raid drills here. Once I asked Grandpa why all the precautions. After all, the Germans would have to launch their bombers from Philadelphia to hit us here in the Ohio Valley. Grandpa said he also patrolled the river banks for enemy naval craft. "Grandpa!" I said "There weren't any Nazi submarines in the Ohio River!" "I know!" he answered "I did a damn good job keeping them out!"
 
Russia under Putin was a remarkable time in newer history.
In March 2012 he might again become President.
 
I confess that my understanding of history is very EURO-centric.

Given that, ROME is the empire against which all others are measured.

But the span of the Roman Empires (note that there were two?) really demands that anybody interested in those empires pretty much would have to devote their full attention to them to really get a handle on their histories.

There was really just one; the eastern empire was the necessary evolution of the western as there was greater wealth in the east than in the west. Also the New Rome (established as the new capital) was far more defendable than the old capital in Rome, and it had the very attractive physical location ibetween the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea that controlled trade by ship from east to west as an added inducement. Eventually the western part of the empire was no longer defendable by the emperor in the east and it surrendered to the various barbarians; the Gothic tribes and the Huns. Roma in the west was lost to the barbarians before any other final political schism had developed due to sociological and demographic differences.
 
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Late 19th Century Germany (last 20 years) was also fascinating when it comes to transformation of an agrarian-society into a industrialized society.
It was this time, when Germany exceeded Britain's industrial output. Backed by industrialization German population increased by about 11 Million people in this period.
A lot of Germany's big-business industry companies were founded in this period, most of them still exist today.
 
I was born twelve years after WWII. That put me front and center to watch the 60s. My first memory of world events was the Cuban missile crisis (when the grown ups are afraid the world might end, you tend to pay attention).

But my aunts and uncles were alive and vigorous during the Depression and the war. Life on the home front was often discussed and it fascinated me. That's what I'd like to experience.

My grandfather was an air raid warden during the war. We live 450 miles from the Atlantic coast, but they still had blackouts and air raid drills here. Once I asked Grandpa why all the precautions. After all, the Germans would have to launch their bombers from Philadelphia to hit us here in the Ohio Valley. Grandpa said he also patrolled the river banks for enemy naval craft. "Grandpa!" I said "There weren't any Nazi submarines in the Ohio River!" "I know!" he answered "I did a damn good job keeping them out!"

we had an underground missle base in the town i grew up in.
 
Would I want to live in another era? NO! The Romanticism of some of the earlier times disregards the hard times, the illnesses, the short lives and just how hard it was to make a living. In today's time if you have an illness, like diabetes, you can live a long life. We have plenty to eat or choose from, you don't have to walk 10 miles or ride an ass to town. People in this day and age take a lot for granted and do not realize what life was like back then. Even a few decades ago life was hard for some people. We did not even have running water till the early 60's, we had to pump it by hand. There was no bathroom, we had to walk outside and 100 yards or so to the outhouse. We had electricity and heat which made those wintery days bearable. Go back to the Roman empire and did they have toilet paper? There was no TV, radio but they had plays. And that time was fascinating. Good time to visit, just don't want to live it!




The Romans actually had very good plumbing with fairly decent toilet facilities, in some cases better than you find in some Italian towns now. Water was abundant and piped to your home if you had enough money. Rome was not too bad compared to the present day. Disease would certainly be an issue, but life wasn't to bad at all.


well they had water yes, but they also had exposure to lead galore and wood fires....
 
Would I want to live in another era? NO! The Romanticism of some of the earlier times disregards the hard times, the illnesses, the short lives and just how hard it was to make a living. In today's time if you have an illness, like diabetes, you can live a long life. We have plenty to eat or choose from, you don't have to walk 10 miles or ride an ass to town. People in this day and age take a lot for granted and do not realize what life was like back then. Even a few decades ago life was hard for some people. We did not even have running water till the early 60's, we had to pump it by hand. There was no bathroom, we had to walk outside and 100 yards or so to the outhouse. We had electricity and heat which made those wintery days bearable. Go back to the Roman empire and did they have toilet paper? There was no TV, radio but they had plays. And that time was fascinating. Good time to visit, just don't want to live it!




The Romans actually had very good plumbing with fairly decent toilet facilities, in some cases better than you find in some Italian towns now. Water was abundant and piped to your home if you had enough money. Rome was not too bad compared to the present day. Disease would certainly be an issue, but life wasn't to bad at all.


well they had water yes, but they also had exposure to lead galore and wood fires....




Compared to everyone else it was heaven! Only the Minoans had a better water system (the ruins on Crete are amazing!) and at least they had something to burn down!
 
Would I want to live in another era? NO! The Romanticism of some of the earlier times disregards the hard times, the illnesses, the short lives and just how hard it was to make a living. In today's time if you have an illness, like diabetes, you can live a long life. We have plenty to eat or choose from, you don't have to walk 10 miles or ride an ass to town. People in this day and age take a lot for granted and do not realize what life was like back then. Even a few decades ago life was hard for some people. We did not even have running water till the early 60's, we had to pump it by hand. There was no bathroom, we had to walk outside and 100 yards or so to the outhouse. We had electricity and heat which made those wintery days bearable. Go back to the Roman empire and did they have toilet paper? There was no TV, radio but they had plays. And that time was fascinating. Good time to visit, just don't want to live it!

Most Romans lived to ripe old ages.
 
My grandfather was an air raid warden during the war. We live 450 miles from the Atlantic coast, but they still had blackouts and air raid drills here. Once I asked Grandpa why all the precautions. After all, the Germans would have to launch their bombers from Philadelphia to hit us here in the Ohio Valley. Grandpa said he also patrolled the river banks for enemy naval craft. "Grandpa!" I said "There weren't any Nazi submarines in the Ohio River!" "I know!" he answered "I did a damn good job keeping them out!"

LOL! I love your Grandpa!
 
Track 11, I think.

Here is the cd. Please enjoy the samples.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Spirit-Vol-Chants-Americans/dp/B00005176Y/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1301634588&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: Sacred Spirit, Vol. 2: More Chants and Dances of the Native Americans: Sacred Spirit: Music[/ame]
 

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