What is the most powerful empire ever to grace us?

I honestly think that the Romans did not make as much of an impact as they were given credit for. Among the best of the Roman innovations are the Republic (which was really an aristocracy that was highly oppressive on the lower classes, NOTHING like the concept of modern republics), a gigantic coinage, and innovations in business.

what a  shame there is no greatest greatest is Ottoman for now,before we found greater

Yup... your still upset!

Originally posted by nuvolari There is little doubt that the Roman Empire brought many benefits to the World as it was known at that time. However, several points are relevent here (a) The Roman Empire at its peak was only ever one third of the size of the British Empire

size isn't the only measure or we can simply talk about mongol/turkic empires which at times were vast. The technology advantage wasn't so drastic in the roman times to the roman advantage.

Originally posted by nuvolari (b) It ended in blood and fire with barbarians at the Gates of Rome

how did it end for the british? The empire fell apart and the Uk was given a helping hand from a former vassal the USA

Originally posted by nuvolari (c) Adolf Hitler, who was somewhat of an expert at the subjugation of nations, intensely admired the British Empire, not least for its ability to administer the whole of India and all of its disparate races and religions, with just 10,000 civil servants and soldiers.

yet he attacked and ravaged that very power. Lets face it being admireed by a failed fascist that was deluded in so many ways is not a tick of appoval.

Originally posted by nuvolari Measuring the British against the Roman Empire, it is clear that the benefits of the former by far outweigh those of the latter, all the more so since in its restructured form of the Commonwealth, the British Empire (greatly modified) still lives on today largely in harmony and with crucial benefits to all of it many members.

Simply not true. That is an exaggeration




Edited by Leonidas - 06-Apr-2009 at 11:36

this is not true.  There are couple of experts I found in your Far Eastern forum who seem to be very resourceful, and I recommend them to you that you may know more about Far Eastern military history; you might not be interested in it, but it matters when you are trying to make comparison between a subject you know thoroughly and a subject you know almost nothing about ( using a novel as a basis :D might as well use Chinese myth and say Chinese kungfu monkeys pwn rest of world ez)

I voted other, for one reason, America never conceived itself as an "Empire" of any sort! And, from about 1942 CE, onward was the most powerful force in the world, even without Nukes!
Any of you might realize that if America had been changed into a dictatorship, its designs upon an Empire could not have been impeeded anywhere in the world!
As General Patton is said to have believed; he wanted to continue the war in Europe and attack the Soviets. He realized that all of Europe was so indebted to the US, and were attached to America's teats like nursing piglets, that it would be easy.

Even the vaunted Soviet forces, would have been mostly helpless due to America domination of the seas, and the air.

Japan could have easily been starved out, isolated from everone and everything, until they finally came out either begging or committing suicide! It was the US supply lines that kept the Soviet Army and Air Force moving. Their stockpile of supplies were, I would guess, only good for 90 days or so! Does anyone really think that they could push America and its allies out of Europe in 90 days?
Some of may well not realize that as soon as the war ended in Europe, and Japan was stuck back on their little island, most of the American people began to demand that their sons "come home", and that sentiment would have been seen in the votes, if we had not started an immediate reduction of force, and especially after the two bombs were dropped. As a matter of my own surmise (as well as that of others I am sure) this strong force of "come home" might well have forced us to use the Bomb? After all, it (actually they, since there were two differing bombs developed) had never been tested by being dropped from an aircraft!
So, where is the American Empire today? Lets see, we still control Puerto Rico, and a few small Islands in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and we still have bases around the world, from which we would certainly abandon if anyone asked, and a small enclave in Cuba!

So, just what empire did we build and control after WWII? The only answer is that we controlled the "World Wide Economic Empire!"

But, sadly, with our new administration, not much longer!

Edited by opuslola - 12-Nov-2009 at 13:49

Dear "Sooty!", it is interesting that you included some factoid I had never been aware of, that is that Alexander "(wore trousers!" How cool! But, did you know that the wearing of such devices only became regular and customary in the 16th century CE?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trousers

There are other sources that concur with the above!

Seems about 1000 years happened before dressing like Alexander became fashionable!

Regards,