Greatest empires of all time

[Lord Merciless]

Ghengis Khan was cool, but his empires didn't last long. His hordes butchered some locals, but got assimilated in the end by the same locals.

Our goal is to assimilate the locals, to make them follow our cultural values, and to jam democracy down their throats.

You won't get too far in this aspect through raping women.

[Capt Dizle]

Hmm, he must not have butchered them properly.

[Heresson]

"ust like to commies in 1940 "

Just tell me. What gives You the reason to believe that Poles, Jews and Byelorussians of eastern Lithuania preferred to live under Lithuanian, not Polish tule...

[Kepler]

Rome was the first and maybe the only intentional world "empire" (the Brits only wanted good trade terms and the occasional brown wench). They won on the military, political, economic and later the religious stage. We are still affected so profoundly that to this day the world is divided between Roman- and non-Roman- influenced spheres. 10 centuries later! Despite our glittering toys.

The Greeks gave us "thinking." The Romans gave us "doing." Empire is, in essence, the latter tempered by the former.

Rome in a rout.

[Heresson]

This flag... are You Czech by a chance?

[Adalbertus]

Kepler (who was Swabian, not Czech, btw), the Chinese just laughed about the Roman "empire" ... which they actually managed to recognize as something existing.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes, but the Chinese also lauged about the Europeans in the 1700s-onward, when the Euros kicked some Chinese ass .

[Lord Merciless]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yes, but the Chinese also lauged about the Europeans in the 1700s-onward, when the Euros kicked some Chinese ass .

Before 17th century, Chinese had plenty of reasons to laugh at those puny Euros. But then they got too arrogant, too complacent, and buried their heads in sand until they fell hopelessly behind.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Europe's great strength actually lay in its fragmentation. With all those nations working against each other in a competitive but not destructive fashion, trade flourished and science progressed at a fast pace.

China, roughly double the land mass of Europe, was united under one bureaucracy, which had one single decision maker at its head for a long time. When that decision maker was good, then the country was in happy straits. When that decision maker turned out to be a poor ruler, then the country would suffer from his policies.

Fortunately today the Chinese political stage seems somewhat more detached (or should I say "aloof"?) than before. The most powerful force in Chinese society today is the burgeoning middle class and their purchasing power (for arguably the first time in recorded Chinese history...)

[Heresson]

I don't agree with that "competitive but not destructive fashion". Europeans would kill themselves all out if they had a chance. And in fact, some nations got it....

[Sonic]

Heresson, yes Lithuania had more historical rights to Vilnius and also more rights overal.

[Sonic]

BTW, I also like Genghis khan. At a time he lived to create such empire in a span of lifetime was almost impossible.

[Rasbelin]

I can't vote in this poll as there's no option available for the opressed majority of Poly!

[Rasbelin]

Oh, my... had to choose the Chinese in lack of any other suitable alternatives. But I do think that they had a great deal of influence in our history.

BTW it there's a typo, it should be the Arabs, or if you're obsessed to that current one, then The Arab Caliphate.

Sonic,

I agree with you on those territorial claims. Heresson should consider changing his name to Harrasher.

[Heresson]

Lithuania had NO ethnical rights to eastern Lithuania.
Generally Lithuania is of all our neighbours the one whose territorial anexions after IIww are for me most justified.
But today, ethnical right is what decides on territorial rights.
Kosowo is the motherfland for Serbia and no-one denies that. But it is inhabited by Albanians...
From Polish side it is highly sad that Lithuania didn't get more lands in the east after the war. In byelorus, Poles,
havbing such similar language to Russians and Byelorussians, were "swallowed". Inb Lithuania though they are now minority in Vilnius itself they are still majority in surrounding regions.