Byzantine Merchandise

2 thoughts on “Byzantine Merchandise”

1. 

   March 18, 2022
   Peter Sikacek

   Hi Robin, I was thinking recently about what, if we could magically bring back an everyday Roman from say the 5th century what they would make of our time. It seems to me that really not that much has changed apart.from technology. If we look at our laws (in the West) these are pretty well based on Roman law. Our big stadium very physical sports, bring images to mind of the colleseum, motor racing (chariots), never ending wars with the east, and middle east the re deployment of the silk road trade network, the list goes on. I would love to hear what other listeners would think about this. It looks as though we haven’t really progressed much socially since those times. One might bring up slavery however it’s worth remembering that some think slavery in today’s world is something like 40mill people world wide which is many many times higher than in Roman times. Take a look at architecture in Washington DC, a Roman would not feel out of place walking around their.

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  March 18, 2022
  thehistoryofbyzantium

  They’d be stunned by the population growth I think. And the whole democracy / equality / racial harmony would surprise them. I know all three are under serious critique today. But compared to the way things were run in the 5th century I think that would seem like tremendous progress to them. I also think the peace that has lasted in Western Europe for the past 70 years would seem noteworthy to them. Although some parts of the Roman Empire in the 400s had been at peace for even longer. But it really does depend where you lived 🙂

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