Home › Forums › General History Chat › Life in the Ancient world or Medieval world?
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September 6, 2006 at 10:02 pm #329
Phidippides
KeymasterI'm interested in seeing in which time people would have preferred to live – in the ancient world or the medieval world. Give your answer in terms of a better standard of living (relatively speaking) rather than other aspects (e.g. Christianity vs. pagan world). Also, give your reasons why.
September 6, 2006 at 10:04 pm #6555DonaldBaker
ParticipantMedieval London was very unsanitary compared to ancient Rome. However if I were a Christian living in ancient Rome, it might not be so good. 🙂
September 6, 2006 at 10:36 pm #6556Stumpfoot
ParticipantI think Donald hit it right on. Lesser of two evils for a lot of people. But I would still have to lean towards Rome. Just a lot more there that interests me.
September 6, 2006 at 10:56 pm #6557Phidippides
KeymasterI think Donald hit it right on. Lesser of two evils for a lot of people. But I would still have to lean towards Rome. Just a lot more there that interests me.
What? How can you say that? Are you saying that man regressed over the course of 1300 years? 🙂
September 7, 2006 at 12:40 am #6558Stumpfoot
ParticipantNO! I,m just saying when you comapare London and Rome, Rome is more interesting.
September 7, 2006 at 2:20 am #6559Phidippides
KeymasterBut which would have had a higher standard of living? Surely you can't dismiss advances in agriculture, metalworking, and masonry that gave the medievals advantages over the Romans…
September 7, 2006 at 6:32 am #6560DonaldBaker
ParticipantBut which would have had a higher standard of living? Surely you can't dismiss advances in agriculture, metalworking, and masonry that gave the medievals advantages over the Romans...
How many times did the Romans catch Bubonic Plague? Could medieval London finance gladiatorial games in a stadium the size of the Colisseum? Did medieval London have anything like the Baths of Caracalla? Or the Circus Maximus? Rome was head and shoulders above London in terms of culture and sanitation. IMHO
September 7, 2006 at 8:11 am #6561Stumpfoot
ParticipantHow many times did the Romans catch Bubonic Plague?? Could medieval London finance gladiatorial games in a stadium the size of the Colisseum?? Did medieval London have anything like the Baths of Caracalla?? Or the Circus Maximus?? Rome was head and shoulders above London in terms of culture and sanitation.? IMHO
My point exactly.
September 22, 2006 at 5:09 pm #6562Phidippides
KeymasterHold on there guys, now just hold on. 😀 I don't want your winning argument to win quite that quickly. 😉If Rome were so superior, why would advancements have been made at all? Think about the barrel vault, and the groin vault which made buildings able to carry such great loads. Think of the flying buttress which also enabled higher buildings and more windows and light to enter. Think of artistry such as stained glass which developed during this time.Donnie, you point to individual feats of greatness in Rome. But what about the common man? Wasn't he able to eat more as farming methods improved? Clothing likely lasting longer? As shipmaking improved, so did trade and the ability to buy things that perhaps only the Richest in Rome could, right?
September 22, 2006 at 5:14 pm #6563DonaldBaker
ParticipantHold on there guys, now just hold on.? :-D? I don't want your winning argument to win quite that quickly.? 😉If Rome were so superior, why would advancements have been made at all?? Think about the barrel vault, and the groin vault which made buildings able to carry such great loads.? Think of the flying buttress which also enabled higher buildings and more windows and light to enter.? Think of artistry such as stained glass which developed during this time.Donnie, you point to individual feats of greatness in Rome.? But what about the common man?? Wasn't he able to eat more as farming methods improved?? Clothing likely lasting longer?? As shipmaking improved, so did trade and the ability to buy things that perhaps only the Richest in Rome could, right?
Actually Roman farming methods (especially the Egyptian Granary region) were quite good. The Romans had longer growing seasons to where they could have multiple crops a year in some regions. The only advantage the Medieval Londoners had over the Romans was perhaps their diet was more diverse....not the noblemen of course who did not eat properly, but the peasants ate vegetables and fruits whereas the noblemen ate meat and sweets which was not quite as healthy.
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