Ancient Civilizations

Persians created the first system of satrapies (provinces) and postal systems.  They created a real administration in an empire, an actual efficient form of government, it was light years ahead of anything the world had yet seen, especially since they were the first "real" empire.  The amazing thing is that all of this was accomplished in such a large empire, spanning across most of the known world while housing inhabitants of so many different ethnicities and cultures.  The world had never witnessed such a large empire before this one.  Messages would be delivered in a matter of 1 to 2 days using the royal highways.  I even read somewhere that the King would impose a taxing system based on percentage of income of land.  The conquered lands were deemed to belong to the King himself, and therefore the inhabitants of that land would have to pay a fixed percentage of the income from the land to the King.  This would make it beneficial for the King to help improve the land, which in turn benefits himself, as well as the inhabitant.

Don't forget the fact that power was vested in the royal bloodline for appoximately 300 years.  Many later empires were unable to maintain rule for so many generations.  The achaemenid empire fascinates me...I could keep going but I wont.

Edited by avesta

India for being the oldest civilization n also the oldest continuing civilization in the world.

I voted for the Greeks. Every high culture could come up with writing systems, administration , architecture or huge military, but none of those left as big as an impression on the modern world than the ideas developed in ancient greece, in terms of philosophy, democracy etc.
My favourite are still the ancient mesoamericans, though. Those weren't the greatest civilizations, but the most fascinating, imho.

Egyptians all the way

it did survive for thousands of years they had to have done somthing right

Originally posted by Rome Rome by far is the greatest empire that ever existed because it was a military power and there is no way that the ancient mesoamerians or Egypt could compeat with Romes military power even though Rome had problems of its own. The legions of Rome may have lost battles of its own but only because of bad luck and trechery the first century A.D.

having the geatest militart power doesnt make a great civilization
the ones with less military usually are the ones with the greater civilization and are usually conquered by lesser civilizations
i voted Egypt

I was undecided between Rome and Athens. I love them both. Both were highly influencial in the way they have shaped our civilization. But I had to go for Greece. The intelectual heritage is just overwhelming.