What was History's Greatest Empire?

[Steakrim]

Roman Empire. For all who say the Brits are the best, get your shit right. The Romans were one of the most advanced empires. They conquered most of Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and also spread Christianity. Their empire would last for over a thousand years.
Sure, England may have had the most land, and Napoleon may have been the best general, but it doesn't add up to what Rome did.

[Monkeykind]

Roman Empire. For all who say the Brits are the best, get your shit right. The Romans were one of the most advanced empires. They conquered most of Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and also spread Christianity. Their empire would last for over a thousand years.
Sure, England may have had the most land, and Napoleon may have been the best general, but it doesn't add up to what Rome did.

I was going to vote Britain, but Rome was just legendary.

[Avenio]

The Romans were one of the most advanced empires.

So advanced that they never figured out how to manage succession without spinning the Great Big Civil War Wheel-O'-Fun. Right.

[Monkeykind]

The Romans were one of the most advanced empires.

So advanced that they never figured out how to manage succession without spinning the Great Big Civil War Wheel-O'-Fun. Right.

Succession is tricky.

[Avenio]

So advanced that they never figured out how to manage succession without spinning the Great Big Civil War Wheel-O'-Fun. Right.

Succession is tricky.

Most of the other states in the OP's lost got it a lot better than the Romans did. So did most of the other big empires the OP ignores. Really, the Romans are pretty unique for bumbling along as long as they did. Though I suppose it helps when most of your enemies are disorganized tribes and not genuine rival states.

[Monkeykind]

Succession is tricky.

Most of the other states in the OP's lost got it a lot better than the Romans did. So did most of the other big empires the OP ignores. Really, the Romans are pretty unique for bumbling along as long as they did. Though I suppose it helps when most of your enemies are disorganized tribes and not genuine rival states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Punic_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Punic_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Macedonian_War
Was Macedonia a disorganized tribe? Was Carthage not a genuine rival state?

[Conscentia]

Roman Empire. For all who say the Brits are the best, get your shit right. The Romans were one of the most advanced empires. They conquered most of Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and also spread Christianity. Their empire would last for over a thousand years.
Sure, England may have had the most land, and Napoleon may have been the best general, but it doesn't add up to what Rome did.

The British Empire is responsible for the industrial revolution - that is far more advanced than Rome. Britain pretty much invented the modern world. It's Empire is just as historically influential as Rome's, perhaps more so.

[Agritum]

Succession is tricky.

Most of the other states in the OP's lost got it a lot better than the Romans did. So did most of the other big empires the OP ignores. Really, the Romans are pretty unique for bumbling along as long as they did. Though I suppose it helps when most of your enemies are disorganized tribes and not genuine rival states.

Come on, Carthage and Greek poleis...

[Monkeykind]

Roman Empire. For all who say the Brits are the best, get your shit right. The Romans were one of the most advanced empires. They conquered most of Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and also spread Christianity. Their empire would last for over a thousand years.
Sure, England may have had the most land, and Napoleon may have been the best general, but it doesn't add up to what Rome did.

The British Empire is responsible for the industrial revolution - that is far more advanced than Rome. Britain pretty much invented the modern world. It's Empire is just as historically influential as Rome's, perhaps more so.

The industrial revolution. Britain caused Climate Change. That makes it great?

[Conscentia]

Roman Empire. For all who say the Brits are the best, get your shit right. The Romans were one of the most advanced empires. They conquered most of Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and also spread Christianity. Their empire would last for over a thousand years.
Sure, England may have had the most land, and Napoleon may have been the best general, but it doesn't add up to what Rome did.

I was going to vote Britain, but Rome was just legendary.

What did Rome do that Britain didn't do, apart from last longer?

[Conscentia]

The British Empire is responsible for the industrial revolution - that is far more advanced than Rome. Britain pretty much invented the modern world. It's Empire is just as historically influential as Rome's, perhaps more so.

The industrial revolution. Britain caused Climate Change. That makes it great?

Seriously? You're going to just brush off the industrial revolution?

[Monkeykind]

I was going to vote Britain, but Rome was just legendary.

What did Rome do that Britain didn't do, apart from last long?

Control the Mediterranean.

[Conscentia]

What did Rome do that Britain didn't do, apart from last long?

Control the Mediterranean.

Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves...

[Oaledonia]

The British Empire is responsible for the industrial revolution

Only because of the abundance of coal and other natural resources, besides that it was comparable in it's efforts to, say, France for example.

[Oaledonia]

Control the Mediterranean.

Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves...

Cunning naval tactics indeed.

[Conscentia]

The British Empire is responsible for the industrial revolution

Only because of the abundance of coal and other natural resources, besides that it was comparable in it's efforts to, say, France for example.

Britain has great geography, your point?

[Avenio]

Most of the other states in the OP's lost got it a lot better than the Romans did. So did most of the other big empires the OP ignores. Really, the Romans are pretty unique for bumbling along as long as they did. Though I suppose it helps when most of your enemies are disorganized tribes and not genuine rival states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Punic_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Punic_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Macedonian_War
Was Macedonia a disorganized tribe? Was Carthage not a genuine rival state?

All fought during the Roman Republic, not the Empire. Macedon, Seleucia and the other Greek states were also pale shadows of their former selves. Carthage, of course, was a mercantile state whose military was composed primarily of mercenaries and had comparatively little staying power. A couple of good generals, but not a real threat to Rome.

EDIT: not to mention that this still doesn't discount the fact that the Empire spent most of its time fighting tribal societies and itself, not real states comparable to it.

[Coopanonva]

1st - British Empire: Lasting influence on the world, sheer size and might. Britannia ruled the waves
2nd - Roman Empire: Lasting influence on the world. Generally pretty epic.
3rd - Third Reich: I mean, you've got to give it to them.
4th - Spanish Empire: Lasting influence on much of the world.
5th - Mongols: Terror and size.


I'm a very small result of the British Empire, I'm a proud Anglo-Indian.

[Oaledonia]

Only because of the abundance of coal and other natural resources, besides that it was comparable in it's efforts to, say, France for example.

Britain has great geography, your point?

You seemed to be correlating lucky location to brilliance.

[Conscentia]

Britain has great geography, your point?

You seemed to be correlating lucky location to brilliance.

All empires are the product of their location.

[Digital Planets]

Totally-not-biased list:

1. 'Murica - Shotguns, freedom, hamburgers
2. France - Hookers, prostitutes, baguettes
3. Ireland/scotland - alcohol
4. Russia - Communism, vodka, dancing bears, T-34's, AK-47's
5. The Cowardly Brits

[Conscentia]

Totally-not-biased list:

1. 'Murica - Shotguns, freedom, hamburgers
2. France - Hookers, prostitutes, baguettes
3. Ireland/scotland - alcohol
4. Russia - Communism, vodka, dancing bears, T-34's, AK-47's
5. The Cowardly Brits

Ireland didn't have an empire.

[Digital Planets]

Totally-not-biased list:

1. 'Murica - Shotguns, freedom, hamburgers
2. France - Hookers, prostitutes, baguettes
3. Ireland/scotland - alcohol
4. Russia - Communism, vodka, dancing bears, T-34's, AK-47's
5. The Cowardly Brits

Ireland didn't have an empire.

Still, alcohol.

[Conscentia]

Ireland didn't have an empire.

Still, alcohol.

Still not an empire.

[Delmonte]

British Empire? Please. The Romans had the balls to take on cultures with similar technological capabilities. The British on the other hand...

"Ah, yes, my good chap! Queen Victoria gave me this medal for bombing the Zulus! I cleverly maneuvered my Zeppelin outside the range of their spears, you see! I received this medal for successfully smuggling Opium into Imperial China! On that topic, would you like some damn good tea? It's the good stuff; From China, eh wot wot!"