A Mesopotamian Civ

[Qwertqwert]

Originally posted by Alexander01
What do you think it is about Babylon that makes them so much more compelling than Sumer?

Even people that don't know anything about middle eastern history have heard of Babylon, where as most of them havn't heard of Sumer. I know because I don't know anything about middle eastern history.

[Virtual Alex]

I agree with qwertqwert. Babylon is the most popular, and still very influential and importiant civ.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by Virtual Alex
I agree with qwertqwert. Babylon is the most popular, and still very influential and importiant civ.

We view them as the quintessential Mesopotamian empire, despite the fact that the two Babylonian empires (Hammurabi's and Nebuchadnezzar's) were both rather shortlived.

[MasterDave]

Banana Split, for sure.

I think the Arabs have the region covered, as the modern-day descendants (mostly) of the other choices in the poll.

[Louis XXIV]

Assyrians don't consider themselves Arab. I don't think Babylonians or Sumerians were Arabic either. Arabic peoples just migrated to the lands afterwards.

[Will9]

Originally posted by Xorbon
I picked Babylon because of Civ tradition, but Sumer would be fine too.

I don't think we need both though. One is enough. That would be like having the Byzantines when we already have the Romans.

The Romans and Byzantines were to different empires. True, the Byzantines were extentions of the Romans, but they were very different. Romans spoke latin and the Byzantines spoke greek. The Byzanties were focesed more on knoledge and culture when the Romans were more militaristic. Their armies were organized in a completly different way.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by Louis XXIV
Assyrians don't consider themselves Arab. I don't think Babylonians or Sumerians were Arabic either. Arabic peoples just migrated to the lands afterwards.

Yes, I didn't think the Arabic peoples truly arrived on the scene until the advent of Islam spread it to Mesopotamia in the 600s (AD).

Therefore Saddam Hussein isn't Babylonian not matter how much he wants to be.

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Will9


The Romans and Byzantines were to different empires. True, the Byzantines were extentions of the Romans, but they were very different. Romans spoke latin and the Byzantines spoke greek. The Byzanties were focesed more on knoledge and culture when the Romans were more militaristic. Their armies were organized in a completly different way.

[Yosho]

Originally posted by Will9


The Romans and Byzantines were to different empires. True, the Byzantines were extentions of the Romans, but they were very different. Romans spoke latin and the Byzantines spoke greek. The Byzanties were focesed more on knoledge and culture when the Romans were more militaristic. Their armies were organized in a completly different way.

That's not how the viewed themselves, though. They considered themselves to still be Roman. From the point of view of Civ, it's more like the romans spread, conquered a huge amount of land, then lost their origional capital but kept many of their cities.

After all, until the fall of Rome, there was no question that the eastern side of the empire was still part of the Roman Empire, even after the point where is started being ruled from Constantinople.

Granted that over time the focus and culture changed, but that happens with any civilization that lasts for a long period of time.

[Son of David]

Originally posted by Alexander01


We view them as the quintessential Mesopotamian empire, despite the fact that the two Babylonian empires (Hammurabi's and Nebuchadnezzar's) were both rather shortlived.

Wasn't the first Babylonian empire built by Nimrod after the Flood? It reached a climax (and then an end) with construction of the Tower of Babel.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Alexander01
What do you think it is about Babylon that makes them so much more compelling than Sumer?

Big tower. Pretty gardens. That sort of thing.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by Son of David

Wasn't the first Babylonian empire built by Nimrod after the Flood? It reached a climax (and then an end) with construction of the Tower of Babel.

It's difficult to identify Nimrod exactly, but many scholars have made an attempt to identify him with Sargon's grandson, the Akkadian king Naram-sin, because of the latter's attempt to deify himself (which was considered heresy by his priests).

[wardhali]

I voted banana split because i beleve Persia should be in the game,

i know that they came from modern day iran, but they dominated the area for a long time, i dont know years, but they were around for both Alexander the great, and the mongol Hordes. a significant strech of time.

i just realised that they were around durring the golden age of Grecce, as they fought a few wars with the spartans.

clearly an empire that left its mark.

[Will9]

Originally posted by Yosho


That's not how the viewed themselves, though. They considered themselves to still be Roman. From the point of view of Civ, it's more like the romans spread, conquered a huge amount of land, then lost their origional capital but kept many of their cities.

After all, until the fall of Rome, there was no question that the eastern side of the empire was still part of the Roman Empire, even after the point where is started being ruled from Constantinople.

Granted that over time the focus and culture changed, but that happens with any civilization that lasts for a long period of time.

The Byzantines viewed them selves as Romans (as in someone living in land conquered by Rome and started to act like Romans after 2 or 3 years generations) not Latin (from Rome or central Italy). The Byzantines were a cross between Romans and Greeks. Slowly the Byzantines became less Roman. One of the major differences was that Roman Emporers appointed the next emporer, but Byzantines Emporers had to be approved by the Senate to prevent dictators. Also, to prevent civil wars, the Byzantines insured that generals would not cause their troops to be more loyal to them than the Emporer and Senate.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by wardhali
I voted banana split because i beleve Persia should be in the game,

Um, Persia is in the game...