What is the most powerful empire ever to grace us?

Any empire with nuclear weapons beats any empire without them.

Originally posted by gcle2003 Any empire with nuclear weapons beats any empire without them.

The wisdom of Graham. .

At its height, for that brief period in history between the defeat of the Khwarizm Shah and the defeat of the Southern Song, the Mongol Empire is easily the most powerful empire existing then and could potentially defeats almost anyone in the world who are not entrenched in tropical jungles. 

The Empire of Genghis Khan up until the beginning of the reign of Kublai Khan, after which the Empire began to break up (the Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde were warring by the 1280s.)

I don't know how you are counting a thousand years.

At the extreme end, say, first punic war to fall of Constantinople, you'd count 1453+241 = 1694 years. (Although I don't think that's a fair count)
Clean it up a little and say from Augustus to the 4th Crusade and you have 1204+27=1231 years (but I think the Roman Empire really should be subdivided)
So if we say the western empire from Augustus to the fall of Rome that would be 410+27 = 437 years. (Which I think is an accurate and fair reflection)
Then the eastern from Constantine to the Arab conquests: 634-325=309 years (which again I think is fair)
Whether after the Arab conquests you can still consider the Romans to be a major world empire I am quite dubious about, but certainly that period ended with the 4th crusade. So another 1204-634 = 570 years could possibly be added to the 309 years. But I think should be treated separately.

If you ignore the existence of Europe and go from Caesar to the Arabs there is 634+27 = 661 years. Or from the 1st punic war to the Arabs is 875 years.

I'd accept 437, 309, or 661 years ideally. But which ever way you look at it its still a long lived empire! Either way, 1000 years isn't valid.

So by the time of his grandson the empire had fragmented? not much of an empire in my opinon.

But the affect of those conquests was enormous, and far outweighs other longer lived empires


Edited by Omar al Hashim - 12-Oct-2008 at 05:17

The "Roman Empire" before the First Punic War is basically a collection is loosely allied states.

Also, most historians consider the Byzantines separate from Rome, although I tend to disagree.

Yes, after Kublai died all hell broke loose and the Mongol khanates began fighting each other (even when he was alive he couldn't stop the Golden Horde and the Ilkhanate trying to destroy each other, and Central Asia was pretty much autonomous of Khanbaliq). Still, the Mongols' impact on history were enormous, and while their Empire lasted they were pretty much the most powerful people on earth. It's worth noting that each of the "fragments" of the Mongol Empire after the death of Kublai were still pretty powerful. The Yuan Dynasty lasted well into the 14th century, until the Black Death and the Red Turban finished it off, and after that the Mongols continue to be a major presence in Central Asia until the 1700s. Chagatai survived until the 1680s. The Golden Horde lasted until the end of the 15th century. One of the fragments eventually became the Mughal Empire.

It seams a  better explanation of the question is needed.What Empire at their time was the most dominint compared to any other empires dominince during their time?My empire for instence could topple any other nation in the world if I wanted to but I pity you humans and spare your lives.

Also, most historians consider the Byzantines separate from Rome, although I tend to disagree.

Originally posted by IamJoseph Also, most historians consider the Byzantines separate from Rome, although I tend to disagree.   Its the same people, in the same space-time, using the same divine man doctrine, and it continued the same decree of heresy. Then it crowned itself with the prefix of 'ROMAN' Catholicism. If there are differences, these would be very subtle and subjective.

Originally posted by Voskhod Originally posted by Count Belisarius Well they were powerful no denying that, but what was their cultural and historical impact? There's significant regional impacts, eg in China (reunified, sea-borne imperialism, placed under foreign regime for the first time, paper money first used widely), Russia (large Muslim population, Buddhist republic on the Caspian Sea, rise of Muscovy), Middle East (depopulated, centre of power shifted away from Baghdad and Mesopotamia, etc) and of course Mongolia itself. The most significant impact was however the reopening of the Silk Road and the restart of trade and contact between East and West via Central Asia, and the transfer of people, ideas and technologies (and plague. The Black Death spread from China to Europe via the Silk Road).