Who has a favorite quote?

Well I'm not as poetic as you but here are a couple of mine:

"It is better to die on your feet, then to live on your knees"
-Emiliano Zapata

"To know and to act are one and the same"
-Anonymous

"The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life"
-Katsumodo

"Those who cling to life, die; those who defy death, live"
-Uyesugi Kenshin

You two are too cerebreal for me. I'm going to have to hit you in the head with my axe, on purpose! Though, I like you're poetry Alyssa, but I'm more in line with Strider's quotes.

Konradr

Don't feel bad Alacian, Konradr is a barbarian and feels safer with my smaller straight to the point quotes

"Some Warriors look fierce, but are mild. Some seem timid, but are vicious. Look beyond appearances; position yourself for the advantage.

- Deng Ming-Dao

"Only a warrior chooses pacifism; others are condemned to it."

- Unknown

"You might as well stand and fight because if you run, you will only die tired"

- Vern Jocque - Sei Shin Kan


these are just a few.....

Ill find more later... *looks for his old scribbled on quote book*

Meh....done posting quotes. -_-

Feel like a tart...Damn, Barbarians... lol

dont stop... hehe

these are a way of flexing teh google skillz and having some slightly inspiring conversation.

this thread could continue to be fun.

Yeah, don't stop, who conquered who? Did the Barbarian's really conquer the Roman world, or did Rome's culture eventually conquer them???

Hmmmmm?

Intriguing question.....*refrains from answering*...*refrains*....*breaks down and starts talking*..

Damn it. You intrigue me. I defended the south in the last debate I ever held on war and by god I won....war, politics, strategies, passionate beliefs, corruption, who did what and when are like incestuous siblings...they can more often that not be found in the same bed....and oh god does it call to me to try my hand at sorting out who was responsible for what.....So here we go...


First. You have to ask yourself what a Barbarian was. What did Rome consider to be a "Barbarian"?

The Hun's, the Vikings, the Magyars? Many a people fell to Rome's reign. The were defeated in numbers...They were defeated in strategy...A barbarian was whomever was next in line that wasn't beneath Rome's control.

As you take into account the interaction between Rome and the barbarians from 300 B.C. to A.D. 600, you'll see that what was considered a barbarian was, effectively, the "next land of peoples who were not under Rome's thumb." You'll see how that which categorized you as a barbarian was always changing, as former barbarians became assimilated into the Roman world, becoming provincials and, often, eventually Romanized themselves.

There were many a battle that took place you see. But we'll skip ahead through the fifth century when the Germanic troops in Italy rebel and claim Odoacro as king of Italy which is said to be the 'end of the western roman empire'.

But...

What were the political, military, and social institutions that made Rome so stable, allowing its power to be wielded against these different cultures for almost three centuries?

What role did those institutions themselves play in assimilating barbarian peoples, first as provincials and often as players in a vast process of Romanization?

The ability of the Romans to adapt and build so efficiently on existing structures within the barbarian world, using what worked, and not simply imposing a "Roman way"?

Was it the way the Romans looked on these barbarians not only as outsiders, but also as potential allies and provincials?

What were barbarian societies like at the time of Roman contact and conquest, and how, through assimilation, they contributed to the successful establishment of Roman provinces?

There are some that would say the split into an eastern and western empire governed by separate emperors caused Rome to fall. The eastern half became the Byzantine Empire, with its capital at Constantinople. The western half remained centered in Italy after the Germans won. Many say the Fall of Rome was an ongoing process that lasted more than a century. Since Rome still exists, it is argued that it never fell. Some prefer to say that Rome adapted rather than fell. Perhaps it was both the Romans and the Barbarians that adapted to one another.

Some think the combination of Christianity, decadence, lead, monetary trouble, and military problems caused the Fall of Rome. Imperial incompetence and chance could be added to the list. Even the rise of Islam is said to be the reason for Rome's fall, by some who think the Fall of Rome happened at Constantinople in A.D. 1453.

The Roman Empire not only expanded but was modified by the conquered people who were the 'Barbarians'. The structure of the Roman government changed to deal with new situations -- including moving the capital away from the city of Rome.

Rome was in fact, in my opinion a very great empire to have gone on so long with its conquests. But so were the 'Barbarians'.

There's much more I could detail on or elaborate with. But I won't for the sake of not rambling.....I think I already did though...

Wow. War and history certainly get the blood pumping.....I can't say that I'm right nor wrong in anything I've stated....so....thoughts people?

How about you, our almighty wolf? I'd love to hear what you have to say...You're a very brilliant man. *winks*

(Thank you knowledge....oh and Harl...love Harl and his own perceptions of such things. I took the past hour to remember...to research and to organize my thoughts with what I found and to cross reference multiple times...)

Rome believed anyone who wasn't Roman by birthright, was a barbarian. In my opinion they crumbled from the inside. With the rise of "entertainment" in Arenas, Romans became more bloodthirsty and ravenous and eventually became a corrupt and barbaric society in themselves. Christianity began to thrive after Paul's rant through the empire because of the need to feel close to God and repent, since they were all beleved to be "sinners". Well that's how I figured it anyway. But a lot of sh*t happened.

You summed it up very nicely, Strider.

Heh heh. I tend to not settle for one paragraph when I talk about history....I like details...*is in love with history*

I'm a knowledge fanatic.

Oh I love ancient history, believe me, but a lot of people go when they see a long paragraph about historical recalls, so I tend to keep it summed up and such.

No worries. I tend to shrug and go..."You don't like it? Not my fault your cranium has space for rent." and then go back to reading. I *love* it.

Well, when Alacian spoke her bit, I thought "oh Crap I'm outgunned!" Then Strider came in with his solid summation, and I said ''yeah, he's formed a shield wall in front of me" then Alacian used diplomacy and girlish guiles and I think strider went over to her side and now I'm thinking. "oh crap, I'm outgunned again!"

Sorry, I'm brain dead tonight. But I will riposte....Kurn?

Rome was great at assimilation, that's why she stayed in power so long. As long as she was militarily dominant that is. The things that have lasted, that are really Roman is her sense of duty, sense of law (despite the fact that she was run by dictator's, she set the standard for laws, court's, lawyer's, etc) Her achievements in engineering and the professional military ethic she created. The other things that have lasted from the Roman's are not Roman at all, but Greek. She took Greek art, science and theatre and made it Roman so that it would endure.

By the late Roman empire her military (in the west) was based on Germanic models. Therefore she was no longer militarily dominant but on par with her 'barbarian' neighbors. Like the west of today. A hundred years ago the West was dominant over the globe thanks to firearms, artillery and the professional discapline of their soldiers. Now, firearms, artillery and professionalism are universal and the west hangs on to a slight edge by spending more money on more and more gadgetry. The individual soldier however, is at 50/50 odds with any adversary on earth. This is what happened to the Western Romans. Sooner or later, the losses add up.

The Barbarians merely displaced the leader's and the military institutions with their own. The rest survived beneath that layer. It also survived in of all places, in the hands of the church. Despite their years of condeming Roman and Greek culture. And when the Barbarian's christianized. They came under the sway of Roman law, and Greek Culture.

They are us, and we are them. But it took years of bloodshed to come to terms with that.

Konradr

Speaking or Rome.... here is the book I wrote. The title is a work in progress as is the text. I haven't edited it yet so I can present it to a professional editor. So any who choose to read it, keep that in mind, and then let me know what you think.

http://www.teradepot.com/bvtrhj82h8q1/DEVILS_IN_GAUL_COMBINED..rtf.html

Konradr

Duh... If you need extra thinky room Konradr I've got space for rent. Hardly ever used! What are you all talking about now?

-Kil

Very nice, love. I like the way you think. *smiles*

Brilliant riposte if I may say so.

Oh and I'll read your book when I get back home. I'll email you the starting prologue to one of mine (two pages so far). Not historical of course...but like I said. I'd meet you halfway with what you let me read what you've wrote in exchange for my own work.



...and to Kilanos....Scroll back a page and you'll see how it started. =P

Well, not really sure Kilanos. I was forced to be 'brilliant' so I threw something up there was long winded to sound somewhat convincing of the part.

Now I'll go back to Captain Shakespeare's famous line (stardust, yes I will bring the DVD for you Kil on Saturday)

CREW
Rape and pillage Cap'n?

CAPTAIN SHAKESPEARE
(raises clenched fist)
Aaaarrrrggghhhhh.

Konradr

(hopefullly I won't forget said DVD and the one I promised to bring for Oddvar 'The Long Ships'.) You know how scatterbrained I get on Saturdays.

I'm only scatter-brainded on the days who's names end in 'ay'