Greatest Ancient Roman contribution(s) to the world

[Cambrius (The Red)]

1) Arabs weren't the only muslims to invaded Iberia, there was also berbers and other ethnicities.

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. :)

In Portugal, Al-Andalus is generally interpreted as meaning land of the Vandals. The Vandals had control of Southern Iberia for a time, until they were driven out by the Visigoths.

[Cambrius (The Red)]

And for the record (again) berbers don't speak arab, they (most of them) speak tamazight.

Yes, many Berbers speak tamazigh but only about 30% or so of "Berbers" descend from the original Eurasian stock. Those that are Eurasian continue to practice endogamy to protect their tribal lineage.

[^ lynx ^]

Even today some still fighting for the recognition of their identity:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo7Lc3frtH0

[^ lynx ^]

In Portugal, Al-Andalus is generally interpreted as meaning land of the Vandals. The Vandals had control of Southern Iberia for a time, until they were driven out by the Visigoths.

Yes, I am aware of this theory. Some claim that the arabic "Al-Andalus" came from the amazigh "tamort uandalos" which means Land of the Vandals indeed. I support this theory.

[^ lynx ^]

By the way, I voted for the Julian calendar, the roman alphabet and aquaduct in the poll.

Let's back to topic.

[Sirius2b]

Oh, no!!

Maciano... THEY VANDALIZED your thread !!

The thread was to talk about Roman culture!!

[^ lynx ^]

Don't worry, Maciamo already had to close several threads due to your obnoxious harassment toward Iberians, remember?. I don't think he gives a d*mn about this off-topic.

Greetings and Happy New Year. Be careful tonight in the streets of your city.

[Heber]

But apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

Monthy Python, Life of Brian.

[LeBrok]

Yep it was a great line. Love the movie.

[Rastko Pocesta]

Senate and the Republic.

[Vallicanus]

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".

Rome was just an unfortunate burp between the Hellenistic and Byzantine civilisations.

[Regulus]

[QUOTE=Maciamo;273838]

Well, I have just returned from a trip to China yesterday, and as is usually in alll real Chinese restaurant around the world, the Chinese indeed eat many dishes (sometimes called "course", although this is misleading here), which they all bring at the same time on a revolving table and are shared by al the guests.

QUOTE]

Agreed. I have spent quite a bit of time in Japan and Korea and the style in much the same. Koreans could look at a very large turkey, heaping bowls of potatoes and vegetables, and still view the table as not having a lot of food. They like to have many different things from which to choose, from early appetizers/condiments (some are both) to the main parts of the meal. It looks to me that the addition of some sort of dessert is a more modern thing that may have come from western influence.

An interesting note is that Koreans (in Korea) view going to Chinese restaurants much in the same way as do we.

PLEASE feel free to move this post- man, am I WAY off-topic!

[Regulus]

I think that their Republican form of government was by far their greatest success.

[Vallicanus]

I think that their Republican form of government was by far their greatest success.

Why?

It dissolved into a century of on-off civil war.

[Vallicanus]

But apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

Monthy Python, Life of Brian.

The Romans can thank the Greeks and Near Easterners for all these gifts.

[Reinaert]

Haha.. Vallicanus is living in Fantasia..

http://www.slocanvalley.com/

To be precise...

http://www.slocanvalley.com/vallican.php

Canada British Columbia
A Cannuck!

Not Scottish, like I told you all before.
A Sassenach.
A troll.
------
And to make things more spicy..
I have family in Canada. Nova Scotia and Ontario, who are both Southern Dutch and Scots.
Friendly blokes the Scots.

[Regulus]

In Portugal, Al-Andalus is generally interpreted as meaning land of the Vandals. The Vandals had control of Southern Iberia for a time, until they were driven out by the Visigoths.

I too hold to that position referring to the Vandals. That was an area that they occupied prior to moving to Africa.
When 'Al-Andalus' is declared as a province, the Arabs were applying that name to the entire area and seemd to have ignored the parts ruled by the Visigoths.

[Regulus]

Why?

It dissolved into a century of on-off civil war.

Well I certainly never expected to have to qualify my position on this thread.

It is more than obvious that their Republican style of government lasted from the time of the expulsion of the Etruscans until it succumbed to its own inability to administer its huge empire that it had by the time of the civil wars.
It produced many great statesmen, a strong tradition of laws, scores of courageous soldiers and leaders, and more. Its reputation was so that even after the Empire itself took hold, the Romans still maintained much of the Republican machinery or forms of administration.

That really was a silly question. The Empire itself fell after roughly the same amount of time of existence as the Republic. Few systems in other nations lasted as long as did the Republic.

From a logical perspective, how could one use a government’s downfall after scores of generations to say that the system itself was not worth admiring? We could by extension rule out essentially every other system ever made by that logic.

[Franco]

Codification of Law, no doubt.

[L.D.Brousse]

But in the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome. All it's Advances got lost as we reverted back to old ways. maybe caused by a lack of sharing technology and keeping engineering aspects in Roman hands just a thought

[hope]

Well out of the list given I`d say aqueducts and concrete. There were roads already but they were not of a high standard so yes the Romans improved on them. I admire the many skills the army had..they moved onto land and had defenses up in a short time. They were a well organised unit and they were certainly a well trained army perfect in strategies. However I dislike their social culture. Women had no rights and no voice, children who were not wanted were "dumped" in a spot in the town centre and this was viewed as fine. The arena where horrible blood sports were enjoyed, I find abhorrent. So military matters and organisation and the ability to get things done they were first class. In the moral sphere I find them "savage" and "lacking"

[albanopolis]

[QUOTE=hope;393103]Well out of the list given I`d say aqueducts and concrete. There were roads already but they were not of a high standard so yes the Romans improved on them. I admire the many skills the army had..they moved onto land and had defenses up in a short time. They were a well organised unit and they were certainly a well trained army perfect in strategies. However I dislike their social culture. Women had no rights and no voice, children who were not wanted were "dumped" in a spot in the town centre and this was viewed as fine. The arena where horrible blood sports were enjoyed, I find abhorrent. So military matters and organisation and the ability to get things done they were first class. In the moral sphere I find them "savage" and "lacking"[/QU
Romans gave the world the script. Elegant and eye pleasing invention. And after Figlio di Bonacci or Fibonacy as we are used to see his name in math books gave us the numerals. So whatever we write today numerals or letters are the inventions of Italics. When printing was invented by Germans the whole ingredients of education were in place. That's why the west charged ahead with inventions and innovations.

[albanopolis]

Romans gave the world the script. Elegant and eye pleasing invention. And after Figlio di Bonacci or Fibonacy as we are used to see his name in math books gave us the numerals. So whatever we write today numerals or letters are the inventions of Italics. When printing was invented by Germans the whole ingredients of education were in place. That's why the west charged ahead with inventions and innovations

[ebAmerican]

I'd vote for their ability to "organize to the smallest detail". Organizing everything from political institutions, city planning, military, aqueducts, and foreign affairs. They were able to take everybody else's achievements and make it more organized and efficient. The Roman eye for detail was their greatest contribution to modern society, because it lead to everything else.

[Baltic tribes]

In my opinion concrete, arches and viaducts are the most important.
I doubt that they invented wine. Mass entertainment was established in ancient Greece before.
But Romans brought civilization to barbaric Europe at that time.