Queequeg's 'Special' Threads: Roman-Persian edition

[Malthus]

but increasingly this force did not resemble the professional armies of the early republic

I presume you mean the early empire since the armies of the early republic were almost the platonic ideal of an amateur army.

I also want to note that even the Byzantine successor state never did really solve this problem (even after they reverted back to a fuedal type amateur army), and their eventual decision to rely on centrally controlled mercenary armies was the final nail in the Roman coffin.

Yup, my mistake.

[PDH]

Yup, my mistake.

I once aske a "trick" question about the changes gaining an empire forced on the Roman Republic, and almost all the students talked about Augustus and not the growth of Rome...I had several angry students...

[saskganesh]

I think the real final nail in the fall of the Byzzies was their decision to contract out their navy.

With the wooden walls, you can hold the stone walls, long enough to hire an army or arrange for allies to come in relief. without a navy, Constantinople can be attacked on 3
(4?)  sides, not one.

[PDH]

The Byzantines real problem was in knowing that if they lasted any longer, even more fanbois would love them and make modern-day scenarios for them...

[Valmy]

The Byzantines real problem was in knowing that if they lasted any longer, even more fanbois would love them and make modern-day scenarios for them...

Meh the Nazis only lasted 12 years and have far more fanbois.

[Malthus]

The Byzantines real problem was in knowing that if they lasted any longer, even more fanbois would love them and make modern-day scenarios for them...

Meh the Nazis only lasted 12 years and have far more fanbois.

The notion of "Byzanteens" is indeed one of the stranger side effects of the Internet. 

[grumbler]

Meh the Nazis only lasted 12 years and have far more fanbois.

And that's why Hitler killed himself.

[crazy canuck]

I think the real final nail in the fall of the Byzzies was their decision to contract out their navy.

By the time they needed their navy to protect their stone walls they were already done.

One of the often over looked by significant things that ruined Justinian's chances of reforming the Empire was plague that decimated the Byzanteen population.

A good book on the subject is Justinian's Flea.  Here is a good review I found.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/may/05/featuresreviews.guardianreview9

[Valmy]

One of the often over looked by significant things that ruined Justinian's chances of reforming the Empire was plague that decimated the Byzanteen population.

No!  Not the Byzanteens! 

The Black Death also played a big role in the final collapse in the 14th century.

Also IIRC there was a major plague that hit around the time of Marcus Aurelius that decimated the Roman Empire as well.  Totally coincidentally the Empire entered its decline immediately afterwards.

[ulmont]

One of the often over looked by significant things that ruined Justinian's chances of reforming the Empire was plague that decimated the Byzanteen population.

A good book on the subject is Justinian's Flea.  Here is a good review I found.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/may/05/featuresreviews.guardianreview9

I thoroughly enjoyed Justinian's Flea (finished it a couple of weeks ago).

[garbon]

I like how most of what we get about Byzanteens, here, is people going on about them...

[Valmy]

I like how most of what we get about Byzanteens, here, is people going on about them...

Their time on the EU2 paradox forums scarred them for life it seems.

[Queequeg]

I like how most of what we get about Byzanteens, here, is people going on about them...

Yeah.  And I was almost always as much a Sassadolescent as a Byzanteen.

[garbon]

Hymen-mania, actually.

[crazy canuck]

No!  Not the Byzanteens! 

Unfortunately they recovered in numbers sufficient to register a presence on the internet.