So your stuck in the year 100... how do you conquer the world?

[KrazyHorse]

They carry computer programs that can project backward that far easily.

[KrazyHorse]

Hell, I have one on my computer that can do that.

[Immortal Wombat]

You don't even need starcharts. You can navigate pretty well with just a clock (and a known position) for longitude and a sextant for latitude.

[Colon™]

I doubt I'd achieve much with my slight knowledge of contemporary Belgian law and my somewhat greater music of electronic music. I'd probably get flooded as well.

[KrazyHorse]

If you're going to do that you need to watch the stars for a few days to determine at least a couple of declinations and relative right ascensions

[Flip McWho]

I'd probably be all alone in NZ. Maori's hadn't arrived yet. So I'd be king of this castle, not that it means anything.

I may set up some superstitious signpost somewhere were the Maori's landed to ward them off and at least alter the course of history.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


The rest of the ships aren't. I'd love to see someone set up an oil-drilling operation using only the stuff available to a carrier battle group.

Plus, navigation would suck without GPS.

Ship engines works fine on raw oil so you don't need a modern refinery. About the drilling itselvf - well, who needs high perfomance drilling tools when you only have some few ships to supply.

The real b!tch is to resupply ammo.- that could give some headache

Almost forgot - getting to the mediterranean sea is also a little problematic - no channel.

[Dr Strangelove]

I started thinking about the subject, particularily about the lack of chemicals and metals, then I realised that, thanks to the Park Service I know where I can get my hands on iron ore and saltpeter relatively nearby. I guess what I'd do is stuff my pockets full of cheap costume jewelry before leaving for the year 100 AD. Upon arrival I'd find the nearest Monotauk village and use the jewelry to barter for food. I'd walk over to the nearest iron deposit, do a little mining, start a fire and then pound out some simple iron tools and weapons. I expect that I would become a popular person among the tribes, I might even be able to hire assistants. Then I could go find that saltpeter deposit. With time and the right ingredients I'd eventually fashion simple matchlock arquebuses. Heck, even simple grenades would probably do the trick. Armed with these babies my tribe would sweep the western hemisphere.

Then I'd have to figure out how to build a carack.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
In Roman Europe or China the rightmaterials would be easy to come by, and you could make a very efficient still.

China is the place you want to be at 100CE if you want to conquer the world - the whole world, not like that wuzz Alexander. They had the most advanced technology at the time and tons of people.

[KrazyHorse]

Rome and China had similar levels of technology. The most important thing would be a well-developed metalworking infrastructure, some experience with basic chemistry and a strong central government. Both China and Rome would do rather nicely.

I really don't think it would be possible to conquer the world from either position. You might succeed in giving a significant leg up. My goal would be to offer enough practical advice in terms of pyrotechnics, metal fabrication etc. to keep the state running and interested in continued technical development, then to write down as much of physics, modern mathematics etc. as I could from the ground up. Would hasten the pace of human advance for the next millennium or so. Might get them to the industrial revolution a thousand years early, then power them into the electronic age rather quickly after that...

[Az]

I really don't think it would be possible to conquer the world from either position.

Even if you ascend to the throne in either place, of course.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


China is the place you want to be at 100CE if you want to conquer the world - the whole world, not like that wuzz Alexander. They had the most advanced technology at the time and tons of people.

I think you're underestimating Hellenistic science by quite a large degree, and Roman war technology.

After all, this was the culture which had harnessed steam power and developed the Antikythera Device.

[lord of the mark]

I suspect most of us in North America would starve. By the time we managed to get together any black powder, or carve a working bow and arrow, or even useful fishing gear, we'd run out of food. and any contact with the natives would likely prove hostile (as a very large proportion of first contacts historically were) The exceptions would be those who BOTH know a fair amount about primitive fishing, and luck out in terms of being near to a good fishing spot. They will survive, but will probably conquer nothing.

Those in civilized places, will probably end up being assimilated into local life, perhaps influencing it a little, but not conquering the world.


The most influential technologies would be simple ones, easy to adopt without an infrastructure. Better crop rotation, the stirrup, soap. Stuff like that. Not metal and chemical industries.

Vesayen, ever read Stirlings ISOT?

[KrazyHorse]

I disagree with your last point. A similar method as that used to make potassium nitrate can be used to make potash, a valuable fertiliser...

And if you think that the Roman army wouldn't be interested in cannons then you're dead wrong...

[KrazyHorse]

Though of course I agree that conquering the world is slightly ridiculous. Knowledge only turns into power when you have the means to implement it, and the means are lacking in 100 AD