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| European Culture & History The cultural differences, arts, literature, and history that make Europe what it is. |
| View Poll Results: What is/are the greatest Roman contribution(s) to the modern world ? | |||
| Architectural styles (arches & columns, domes, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics...) |
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6 | 40.00% |
| Concrete/mortar/cement |
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5 | 33.33% |
| Efficient highway system (still followed today by modern roads) |
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6 | 40.00% |
| Mass entertainment : stadiums & amphitheatres (ancestors of modern stadiums) |
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1 | 6.67% |
| Aqueducts and viaducts (the world's first bridges to cross valleys) |
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6 | 40.00% |
| Thermal baths, central heating and floor heating |
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2 | 13.33% |
| Wine-making (creating a lasting tradition in France, Italy, Spain...) |
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4 | 26.67% |
| Roman alphabet (the world's most widespread writing system) |
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11 | 73.33% |
| Latin language and descendants + influence on other European languages |
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3 | 20.00% |
| Roman legal system (basis of many European legal system to this day) |
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2 | 13.33% |
| The Republic & Senate (inspiration for modern democracies) |
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1 | 6.67% |
| The Julian Calendar (including current names of the months) |
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4 | 26.67% |
| Festivals (Carnival, Christmas, etc. had Roman origins) |
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1 | 6.67% |
| The 3 course meal (starter, main dish, desert) |
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2 | 13.33% |
| Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 15. You may not vote on this poll | |||
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#1 |
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Satyavrata
![]() Join Date: 17-07-02
Location: Lothier
Posts: 7,010
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Not to confuse with the greatest Italian contributions to the world, here are now the ancient inventions, improvements and systems developed by the Romans that have had an influence on today's world.
A few explanations. Architectural styles : the Roman were inspired by the Greeks. But they were the ones to use extensively the arch, mosaics and frescoes. They built the largest free-standing dome in the world until the 20th century (the Pantheon in Rome, 43m of diametre, or 1m wider than the Bruneleschi's Duomo in Firenze). Aqueducts and viaducts merit a separate category. They were the ancestors of modern viaduct (suspension bridges, etc.). Aqueducts would bring drinkable water from hundreds of kilometres away and were designed with just the right inclination so that the water would not run too fast (and erode the stone), nor too slow (and evaporate or become muddy). Combined with canalisations and sewers, they enabled a city like Rome to sustain a population of over 1 million. The Romans developed spectator sports beyond anything seen until then. The Greeks invented the Olympic Games (incl. stadiums), but the Romans gave us the idea of mass entertainment. The Roman highways were so straight, plane and resistant that some are still used nowadays (e.g. Via Appia). Many modern European highways follow the old Roman highways, as they used the most direct route to connect cities (and most Roman cities still exist nowadays). Wine-making was not invented by the Romans, but they planted so many vines throughout the empire, that they created a tradition in France, south-western Germany and Mediteranean countries lasting to this day. The world's greatest wines are direct heirs to Roman wines. The Roman weren't the first to come up with central or floor heating or hot baths, but they certainly spread its used across the empire. Ironically, it is the Japanese who are fans of hot springs and baths nowadays, not the Europeans. But famous thermal springs still exist in Europe, and were especially popular in the 19th century. Some have Roman origins. The Roman Senate was supposedly founded by Romulus 2756 years ago. The Republic is "only" 2514 years old, but was one of the oldest such system in the world, and one that deeply influenced modern democratic states. The Greek idea of "democracy" is probably further from the current "democratic" system than was the elitist Roman Republic (in fact, politicians nowadays are almost always the same few oligarchs, like in Roman times). The Julian Calendar, name after its inventor (Gaius Julius "Caesar"), is almost identical to the modern Western calendar reformed by Pope Gregory 1600 years later, and still used by many national Orthodox churches. It has/had all the current months, which names all have meanings in Latin : January (from "Janus", god of the beginning of times), February (from "Februa" a Roman festival), March (from "Mars", the god of war), April (from "aprire" meaning "open", referring to the blossoming of spring), May (from "Maia", goddess of the fertility), June (from "Juno", goddess of women and marriage, hence the expression "June bride"), July (from Julius Caesar himself), August (from emperor Augustus), September ("7th", as March was the 1st month at the time, and September was thus the 7th month), October ("8th"), etc. The Romans seem to have been the ones to introduce the system of 3-course meal (starter, main dish, desert), inherited by most Western cultures. Note that in India, China, Japan, etc. there is no such tradition.
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Eupedia : Europe Guide & Genetics Maciamo & Eupedia on Twitter Complete Japan Travel Guide on Wa-pedia Wa-pedia on Twitter Maciamo's profile on Facebook "What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?", Winston Churchill. Last edited by Maciamo; 09-11-05 at 10:59. |
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#2 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 09-02-05
Location: Nr. Vancouver, Canada
Age: 66
Posts: 424
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Concrete.
The Romans appear to have invented concrete. Think of the world without it. (I'd be out of a job!) ƒWƒ‡ƒ“
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If you haven't been a Communist by the time you're 40 - then you don't have a heart. If you're still a Communist after the age of forty - you don't have a head .... (Denis Healey) If you're still a communist after the age of sixty ... you're coming to your senses again .... (Sensuikan San) |
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#3 |
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The Wise Idiot
![]() Join Date: 06-02-05
Location: In the land of twilight under the moon.
Posts: 105
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Hmmmmmm...
I'd have to go with highways(even more useful now then in Roman times due to cars), aqueducts(the basics of modern plumbing and arched bridges in one go), architectural styles(the Romans constructed many great buildings/structures that still stand today), and of course, the 3-course meal!(I can't seem to live without it! )
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Please support the AAAAA - American Association Against Acronym Abuse "Don't just do something, sit there!" "Only a madman can handle the truth." Everybody Polka! http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=T...=anime%20polka |
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#4 |
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The Angel of Justice
![]() Join Date: 12-03-05
Location: Northeast Greenhills, San Juan, Manila, Philippines
Age: 29
Posts: 124
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Well, according to the Cooking Master Boy anime (an anime about Chinese cooking), 18th century Chinese have a 3 or 4-course meal (first: appetizer, second: dessert, third and/or fourth: main dishes. That was what I had observed on the judges' table during a cooking contest in one of the Cooking Master Boy episodes. |
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#5 |
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Satyavrata
![]() Join Date: 17-07-02
Location: Lothier
Posts: 7,010
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Note that the French broke with Roman tradition by adding "cheese" between the main dish and desert. |
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#6 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 07-07-09
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 23
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Bloody Romans...
Well I'm no fan of the Romans... so I would point out that few of the advances mentioned were first to appear among the Romans. Harappan urban design was far superior, plumbing of course existed among many civilizations, including the Aztecs, who also had water-delivery systems bringing fresh water to their island capital from the hills.
Roman social organization has affected Europe quite negatively, being the basis for the aristocratic class structure and slave/serf economies which were disastrous for European people and have inflicted much pain upon the world generally since Columbus. What is more generally overlooked is the great contribution of not only "Celtic" but also more indigenous European societies. Too often the schools pretend that European roots are all in Greece and Rome, and ignore the rest... this is not accurate... any more than are the Greek and Roman disparagements of the Celts and other "barbarians". |
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#7 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 05-06-09
Location: Reading, England
Age: 56
Y-DNA haplogroup: R-L48+
mtDNA haplogroup: H
Posts: 102
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Classical scholars have been overly-biased toward Greco-Roman culture. e.g. The 'Dark Ages' in England have been dismissed as a black hole, whereas there were many aspects of Anglo Saxon culture way ahead of the times; including equal property rights for women. I reckon these biases are still prevalent in academic circles.
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#8 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 27-06-09
Location: Valenca do Minho (Alto-Minho), Portugal and Hanover, NH (U.S.A.)
Y-DNA haplogroup: R1b1b2a1b5 (R-L21*)
mtDNA haplogroup: H3
Posts: 1,170
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Believe it or not, the Germanics, particularly the Visigoths and Suevi, made some interesting contributions in Iberia; in agriculture, property rights and legal structure.
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#9 |
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Banned
![]() Join Date: 02-11-09
Posts: 6
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Maciamo
I think you are wrong on the three course meal. We have the three course meal not from the Romans but from the Moors who ruled Andalucia. |
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#10 |
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Satyavrata
![]() Join Date: 17-07-02
Location: Lothier
Posts: 7,010
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It is weird that the Moors should have had a three-course meal, as modern Maghreban and Arabic cultures usually lack it. Arabic and Moor cuisine is/was so different from European cuisine that it is hardly conceivable. Roman culture evolved with time, and wasn't the same in all regions and social classes. But, rich Romans during the Empire's period, at least in Western Europe, did generally have a three-course meal. |
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#11 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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I suspect from your posts archive that you must be a muslim from the Balcans and If I'm right about it you should be ashamed of not knowing the difference between these concepts. Greetings. |
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#12 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 18-11-09
Posts: 367
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#13 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 17-12-09
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 149
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Really a good list of the Roman attainments.
However, I want to emphasize the Architectural (the first 5 points of the list) and Linguistic. Latin was the origin of Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, etc.) which are very important in Europe today. With very little invest in time and effort, a French speaker could beginn to understand clearly a text in (e.g.) Spanish or Romanian. (Really, I believe it is a shame that those possibilties of mutual comprehension, are not adecuatly exploited) Not only that, but almost all other European languages of other families (specially English) are enormously influenced by the Latin language. Finally, with exception of Cyrilic region, or punctual cases (Georgian), the Latin characters are practically of universal use in Europe (and America), and much more. Even Chinese and Japanese discuss publicly from time to time the question of Romanization. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Regarding Architecture, the Romans extended the Greek conceptions, and created new ones, specially in the cuestion of "configuration of Space". The architecture of the Greek refered mostly to open spaces, while the Romans tried to enclose space, and in much larger scale (e.g. basilicas, the Roman Pantheon, Thermae). ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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#14 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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#15 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 17-12-09
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 149
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A 360 degree view from inside the ruins of the Caracalla Thermae
http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/ba...caracalla2.htm http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/ba...caracalla3.htm Inside the Roman Pantheon: http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/ro...e-pantheon.htm (A recommed to use "fullscreen" and then, the right - left arrows at the bottom of the screen) Regards. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In general, this site is great: http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/rome_italy_travel.htm |
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#16 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 17-12-09
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 149
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Regarding the Roman writing system, well, I have commented about it already...
Being that Maciamo is a person well versed in a very different and very complex writing system, Japanese, I am sure he will be interested in comparing the Latin vs. Japanese/Chinese writing. Time-line of the mayority of writing systems of the World: http://www.ancientscripts.com/ws_timeline.html (Each name-hyperlink leads to a full explanation of the system). +++++++++++++++++++++++ I once read, that altough the Latin script was the most successful of the world, it is not the "best" for the experts on this matters. They believe the Korean "Hangul" to be the most "perfect" writing system. Roman script: http://www.ancientscripts.com/latin.html Hangul: http://www.ancientscripts.com/korean.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Apart, I sadly see that most of the scripts originated in my country like Maya or Zapotec (and really they were created from zero, thing that not even the Chinese could claim) didn't make it to modern times... Maya was a sistem somehow similar to modern Japanese, or ancient Egyptian... Maya: http://www.ancientscripts.com/maya.html Japanese: http://www.ancientscripts.com/japanese.html Regards. |
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#17 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 18-11-09
Posts: 367
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What is the purpose of second paragraph? This is a simple character assassination. The only purpose of it is to shame the person and hurt his feelings, and in process feel better yourself. In fact it doesn't say much about the subject, but it shows author's character. Hope this explains. ;) |
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#18 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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![]() I'm atonished by your gift. ![]()
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#19 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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Oh, and just for the record: The word "moors" is used as an insult towards the muslims since the Middle Age. That was the main reason for me to correct Roni.
The fact that you think that I was trying to offend Roni just shows how ignorant you are. Hope this explains. ;) |
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#20 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 27-06-09
Location: Valenca do Minho (Alto-Minho), Portugal and Hanover, NH (U.S.A.)
Y-DNA haplogroup: R1b1b2a1b5 (R-L21*)
mtDNA haplogroup: H3
Posts: 1,170
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That guy was just another internet troll. Probably left school in the third grade. They are all over the place. |
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#21 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 27-06-09
Location: Valenca do Minho (Alto-Minho), Portugal and Hanover, NH (U.S.A.)
Y-DNA haplogroup: R1b1b2a1b5 (R-L21*)
mtDNA haplogroup: H3
Posts: 1,170
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#22 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 18-11-09
Posts: 367
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Word moor in Spanish is Moro. And surely Moro in Iberia is an insulting word, for known reason of long conflict with Moors. The rest of the world uses words Moor, Maur, Mauri and their derivatives. For the rest of the world these words don't convey derogatory meanings and are not insulting. There are just names. Surprised? Therefore there wasn't even a need to correct Roni, was it? Secondly, if you corrected Roni using Arabic name Al Andalus, shouldn't you also use Arabic name for Moors? That would be very nice of you. Good try lynx, but you have to do much better to convince me of your good intentions, and caring nature. Ignorant? You couldn't resist calling names again. You're trying to hurt me, do you? ![]() Cheers |
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#23 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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2) Andalucia isn't a translation of Al-Andalus, these are different things: Andalucia is a region of modern Spain. Al-Andalus coveraged part of Portugal and Spain (just ask Cambria Red). There are a few theories about the meaning of "Al-Andalus" (check it out) I use to call things for its real name... and yes, you are showing to be an ignorant, again. And an a**hole I can add now. Greetings. PS: Next time you meet a morrocan or algerian, call him "moor", it should be fun. :) |
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#24 |
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Felis Sylvestris
![]() Join Date: 09-12-09
Posts: 463
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And for the record (again) berbers don't speak arab, they (most of them) speak tamazight.
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#25 |
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Regular Member
![]() Join Date: 27-06-09
Location: Valenca do Minho (Alto-Minho), Portugal and Hanover, NH (U.S.A.)
Y-DNA haplogroup: R1b1b2a1b5 (R-L21*)
mtDNA haplogroup: H3
Posts: 1,170
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The original Berbers were not Arabic in any way. They became part Arabic when they mixed with the Arab invaders who advanced across North Africa in the 600s.
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