Greatest empires of all time

Sonic · July 14, 2002, 15:51

What do you think was the greatest empire of all time (please drop patriotism here and tell your opinion based on size, strenght, loyality, ect.)

Lemmy · July 14, 2002, 16:05

the Netherlands
why?
the main territory is nothing compared to England, or Spain, yet they where there direct rivals in the 16-1700s. They pretty much accomplishd all that through trade alone, that was also their vulnerability though

Faboba · July 14, 2002, 16:07

England? Oh you mean the BRITISH empire ruled from England by monarchs decended from Scots do you? I see.

frostycreep · July 14, 2002, 16:11

England. For a country so small they massed a huge empire. Even America, Australia, Canada and India were former colonies. Plus, pretty much everyone speaks English, at least as a second language

Lemmy · July 14, 2002, 16:12

Quote:

Plus, pretty much everyone speaks English, at least as a second language

but that's because of the Americans.

frostycreep · July 14, 2002, 16:15

I think everyone spoke english before america became a superpower.

Kassiopeia · July 14, 2002, 16:23

Greater Finland, once it's established and our plan for worldwide dom... - estical peace is complete.

Imran Siddiqui · July 14, 2002, 16:28

Quote:

Originally posted by frostycreep
I think everyone spoke english before america became a superpower.

No, the lingua franca was (un-suprisingly) French.

Evil Knevil · July 14, 2002, 16:31

Quote:

No, the lingua franca was (un-suprisingly) French

Thats because France was the European superpower for a lot longer than most imagine. French men were everywhere in the olden days, it must have been terrible.

I vote for the Timurid Empire --Long live Tamberlane, and the Empire as stable as Win 95, or blamange.

Faboba · July 14, 2002, 16:36

Basicly people learn whatever language they think will help them score.

Nowadays because English allows them to go to Hollywood and understand all the American films ( consequently appearing to be cultured ) they learn that.

In the old days it was French. 'Nuff said.

BTW - Please people, it's the BRITISH Empire, not England. England was never any bigger than it is. It didn't magically grow.

Nubclear · July 14, 2002, 16:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Sonic
What do you think was the greatest empire of all time (please drop patriotism here and tell your opinion based on size, strenght, loyality, ect.)

All patriotism aside.....

It has to be the Russian/Soviet Empire!

markusf · July 14, 2002, 17:18

Egypt is the greatest of all time, its been around longer then all the other empires combined. A empires greatness is usually defined by how long it existed and how big it was.. The second greatest would have to have been rome...

Heresson · July 14, 2002, 17:19

Yeah. You, Lithuanians, complain that You are so poor that we just say "Poland" instead of "Poland-Lithuania"
and now...

pathethic.

Heresson · July 14, 2002, 17:29

And anyway there's no clear continuity between Egyptian empires of ancient and medieval times,
It shouldn't be England but Britain or England/Britain,
Italy? Don't make me laugh. True descendant of Romans aren't Italians but Byzantines and anyway...
Greece was never a big empire. Unless You count Macedonian or Byzantine Empire, which I find wrong.
Zululand? Korea?
Why ABBASID caliphate?
Which Persia? What Mesopotamian culture?

Heresson · July 14, 2002, 17:32

"but that's because of the Americans.

But USA is just a rebelled British province!

Eli · July 14, 2002, 17:39

The power and influence of the ZOG overshadows the puny "empires" you listed.

Faboba · July 14, 2002, 17:56

ZOG?

Stefu · July 14, 2002, 17:59

Quote:

Yeah. You, Lithuanians, complain that You are so poor that we just say "Poland" instead of "Poland-Lithuania"
and now...
pathethic.

Heh. In Finnish history books, Sweden, between years 1300 and 1800, is referred to as "Sweden-Finland". Imagine my surprise when I found out other countries don't do this.

I don't think they do this any more.

Faboba · July 14, 2002, 18:04

The only hyphonated power I can think of from our history books is Austria-Hungary...

gopher · July 14, 2002, 18:13

No empire could match the might, trade, civilization, and power possesed by the city of Rome.

Sonic · July 14, 2002, 18:18

Heresson, I did not voted for Lithuania myself because I do agree there are many empires better than we were.
And also Poland-Lithuania is called so not only in Lithuanian history books (where it is commonly called just Þeèpospolita), but also elsewhere. Play Europa Universalis to understand what I mean.

Faeelin · July 14, 2002, 18:20

Quote:

Originally posted by gopher
No empire could match the might, trade, civilization, and power possesed by the city of Rome.

Let's see.

The Dutch monopolized the spice trade, and became the richest nation in Europe on it. This, by the way, was the product that bankrupted the romans.

The British empire spread ideas such as "human rights" and democracy across the globe (Gandhi, for instance, could only have happened in the British Empire), developed the industrial revolution, and turned English into the lingua franca (sorry, but English became the language to learn in the 19th century).

Power? America's hegemony (as of now) is far and above what the Romans had, as they strugged indecisively with the persians.

Overall? I vote British. 1/5 the world's population can't be wrong.

Giovanni Wine · July 14, 2002, 18:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Heresson
Italy? Don't make me laugh. True descendant of Romans aren't Italians but Byzantines

????????????

Please explain

Saluti

Hobbes · July 14, 2002, 18:38

Quote:

The British empire spread ideas such as "human rights" and democracy across the globe (Gandhi, for instance, could only have happened in the British Empire),

Ah, yes, Gandhi, yet another pawn of British Imperialism

Kaak · July 14, 2002, 18:39

Bah...the chinese. They were greater earlier, and lasted the longest. They had cities twice the size of rome during the same time period. 1/2 the world's population can't be wrong...

Caesar the Great · July 14, 2002, 18:43

i think my answer is obvious

Hobbes · July 14, 2002, 18:43

I voted for Zululand because they're my favorite.

Realistically, Romans, Greeks, Ottomans, Mongols and Chinese were the greatest in my humble opinion.

Heresson · July 14, 2002, 18:49

Stefu, not only You do that. Byelorussians call the Great Duchy of Luthuania Lithuanian-Byelorussian state, but I guess they have more right as not Lithuanian, but Ruthenian was the official language...
Hm.

Sonic, I have nothing against Poland-Lithuania name,
in fact we also call it Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów
(Republic/Commonwealth of Both Nations)
just why didn't You put it like that, but Lithuanian Duchy alone?
I know You can mean Lithuania before union with Poland
but it was less powerfull then.

Giovanni, there's nothing to explain. It's a fact.
Romans-Byzantines, You-Longobards.
Longobards-Germanic tribe, Germanic tribe - barbarians,
ergo Italians...

Romans didn't struggled indecisively with Persians.
Their capital was taken several times and it's enough proof that Persians were much weaker. Romans lacked consequence. Anyway, Roman Empire survived Arabic
attack, and Persian didn't.

Hobbes · July 14, 2002, 18:59

Damn Eastern Euros and their damn hyphenations.

Sonic · July 14, 2002, 19:47

Heresson, at the time LGD was strongest, it was from Baltic sea to the Black sea and it was obviously stronger than Poland-Lithuania at it's best time. At the time Poland-Lithuania was formed, LGD was already weak. But yet again no empire was strong forever. Mongol Empire for examlple lasted not so much time but was largest continuous empire in human history.