Going back in time.

[Serviss]

I would take an ipod to the 18th century but that would be pretty useless after a point when the battery dies and I can't recharge it. But it would be fun while it worked.

BURN THE WITCH!

I cried!

[Soxastan]

I'd give Romans guns/gunpowder and teach them how to use them in before they invaded Germania. If I did this then we would all be speaking Latin and have faster-than-light-speed travel

[The Soviet Technocracy]

I'd take L1A1 SLRs back in time to the American Rebellion.

Give them to the King's Royal Regiment of New York and the British Legion.

[Grave_n_idle]

I'd give Romans guns/gunpowder and teach them how to use them in before they invaded Germania. If I did this then we would all be speaking Latin and have faster-than-light-speed travel

Based on recent news out of Hong Kong, no - we wouldn't.

[Terra Mariana]

I'd just randomly surf through different ages, having a chat with different great leaders to clear things up about them in history.

But the idea of providing Hitler with stealth technology and laser-guided precision weapons is somewhat thrilling nonetheless. If I didn't like the result, I could always reverse it, after all.

[Genivaria]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

[Arumdaum]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

Roman fetish?

Or maybe people just find their glory interesting.

[Eustio]

A nuke to where Adam and Eva lives. >8D then kablo it all to nothing! then we would been saved from WW1 and WW2.

[Farnhamia]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

Roman fetish?

Or maybe people just find their glory interesting.

I suppose. They were damned successful, after all.

I question the "genocide," though. Genocide involves organized, deliberate slaughter. I don't know that the Romans ever did that. They overwhelmed a whole lot of other peoples with their culture and language, but "Kill all the [insert people of choice]"? I don't know. Nor were they any more xenophobic than any other state of ancient times. In fact, they were more open than the Greeks. It was easier to become a citizen of Rome than of Athens, for instance, and in 211 Caracalla did actually make everyone in the Empire a citizen at one fell swoop. And one person's "superstition" is another person's religion, nor are we enlightened moderns all that free from "superstition." Anyone stepped on a sidewalk crack lately?

[Samuraikoku]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

Because the great things they did outweigh their bad side, it would seem. I have no problem with them... but they were certainly no Samurai.

[Arumdaum]

Roman fetish?

Or maybe people just find their glory interesting.

I suppose. They were damned successful, after all.

I question the "genocide," though. Genocide involves organized, deliberate slaughter. I don't know that the Romans ever did that. They overwhelmed a whole lot of other peoples with their culture and language, but "Kill all the [insert people of choice]"? I don't know. Nor were they any more xenophobic than any other state of ancient times. In fact, they were more open than the Greeks. It was easier to become a citizen of Rome than of Athens, for instance, and in 211 Caracalla did actually make everyone in the Empire a citizen at one fell swoop. And one person's "superstition" is another person's religion, nor are we enlightened moderns all that free from "superstition." Anyone stepped on a sidewalk crack lately?

Well, I heard they did it against Jews, Christians, and Carthaginians.

[AiliailiA]

Roman fetish?

Or maybe people just find their glory interesting.

I suppose. They were damned successful, after all.

I question the "genocide," though. Genocide involves organized, deliberate slaughter. I don't know that the Romans ever did that.

Carthage, 146 BC.

Though I suppose the Romans saw it more as "slum-busting" since they rebuilt the city.

[AiliailiA]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

Because the great things they did outweigh their bad side, it would seem. I have no problem with them... but they were certainly no Samurai.

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

[Farnhamia]

Ok I have a question, about the Romans.
They did alot of things that we today would find abhorrent, pillaging, enslaving, raping captives. Genocide.
They were arrogant, xenophobic, sexist, superstitious, sadists.
So here's the question, why do love them so damn much?

Because the great things they did outweigh their bad side, it would seem. I have no problem with them... but they were certainly no Samurai.

True, 'Koku-san, but not every people can have a Hattori Hanzō.

Still, in Book V of his commentaries on the Gallic Wars, Caesar writes as follows of an incident during the seige of Q. Cicero's winter quarters:

XLIV.—In that legion there were two very brave men, centurions, who were now approaching the first ranks, T. Pulfio, and L. Varenus. These used to have continual disputes between them which of them should be preferred, and every year used to contend for promotion with the utmost animosity. When the fight was going on most vigorously before the fortifications, Pulfio, one of them, says, "Why do you hesitate, Varenus? or what [better] opportunity of signalising your valour do you seek? This very day shall decide our disputes." When he had uttered these words, he proceeds beyond the fortifications, and rushes on that part of the enemy which appeared the thickest. Nor does Varenus remain within the rampart, but respecting the high opinion of all, follows close after. Then, when an inconsiderable space intervened, Pulfio throws his javelin at the enemy, and pierces one of the multitude who was running up, and while the latter was wounded and slain, the enemy cover him with their shields, and all throw their weapons at the other and afford him no opportunity of retreating. The shield of Pulfio is pierced and a javelin is fastened in his belt. This circumstance turns aside his scabbard and obstructs his right hand when attempting to draw his sword: the enemy crowd around him when [thus] embarrassed. His rival runs up to him and succours him in this emergency. Immediately the whole host turn from Pulfio to him, supposing the other to be pierced through by the javelin. Varenus rushes on briskly with his sword and carries on the combat hand to hand, and having slain one man, for a short time drove back the rest: while he urges on too eagerly, slipping into a hollow, he fell. To him, in his turn, when surrounded, Pulfio brings relief; and both having slain a great number, retreat into the fortifications amidst the highest applause. Fortune so dealt with both in this rivalry and conflict, that the one competitor was a succour and a safeguard to the other, nor could it be determined which of the two appeared worthy of being preferred to the other.

[Arumdaum]

Because the great things they did outweigh their bad side, it would seem. I have no problem with them... but they were certainly no Samurai.

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

You do realize you're comparing an entire empire to a social class in feudal Japan, right?

[Farnhamia]

I suppose. They were damned successful, after all.

I question the "genocide," though. Genocide involves organized, deliberate slaughter. I don't know that the Romans ever did that.

Carthage, 146 BC.

Though I suppose the Romans saw it more as "slum-busting" since they rebuilt the city.

Okay, point taken, but they didn't kill all the Carthaginians, they enslaved them. And, as you say, founded a colony on the place and rebuilt the city. And according to the Fount of All Knowledge, the story about salting the land so nothing would grow there is a myth. No ancient source mentions it.

[Farnhamia]

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

You do realize you're comparing an entire empire to a social class in feudal Japan, right?

Picky, picky, picky.

[AiliailiA]

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

You do realize you're comparing an entire empire to a social class in feudal Japan, right?

OK, then, I'd rather live under Roman occupation (subject to their soldiers) than to live under Samurai.

[AiliailiA]

Carthage, 146 BC.

Though I suppose the Romans saw it more as "slum-busting" since they rebuilt the city.

Okay, point taken, but they didn't kill all the Carthaginians, they enslaved them. And, as you say, founded a colony on the place and rebuilt the city. And according to the Fount of All Knowledge, the story about salting the land so nothing would grow there is a myth. No ancient source mentions it.

You'd need a lot of salt to achieve that anyway.
Depleted uranium is the way to go

[Samuraikoku]

True, 'Koku-san, but not every people can have a Hattori Hanzō.

Hanzô was great, although I'd rather follow Yukimura Sanada. But that's beside the point.

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

Well, I don't really believe Sengoku Japan people did a BAD job themselves, infrastructure wise. They managed to survive without the Roman technology, living on the other side of the world. As for the rule of law, depends on the Samurai clan we're talking about. There were many at the time, and different lords treated people differently. On one hand you had the Oda, who fit your description, on another hand you had the Takeda, who let people mind their own business a little more.

But back to the Romans, I don't hate them. In fact, I like them a lot due to the fact that law as we currently know it came from them (especially in legal systems with an European tradition, as opposed to the Common Law from Anglo-saxon legal nations).

[Serrland]

Go back in time and give Charles I a surgically enhanced backbone.

[AiliailiA]

True, 'Koku-san, but not every people can have a Hattori Hanzō.

Hanzô was great, although I'd rather follow Yukimura Sanada. But that's beside the point.

Samurai were no Romans either. Samurai didn't build roads, or aquifers, or sewers. Samurai didn't extend a rule of law, beyond "I'm samurai, do what I say or I'll kill you".

I'd much rather live under Romans than Samurai. No offense intended to you.

Well, I don't really believe Sengoku Japan people did a BAD job themselves, infrastructure wise. They managed to survive without the Roman technology, living on the other side of the world. As for the rule of law, depends on the Samurai clan we're talking about. There were many at the time, and different lords treated people differently. On one hand you had the Oda, who fit your description, on another hand you had the Takeda, who let people mind their own business a little more.

But back to the Romans, I don't hate them. In fact, I like them a lot due to the fact that law as we currently know it came from them (especially in legal systems with an European tradition, as opposed to the Common Law from Anglo-saxon legal nations).

OK. I don't know much about ancient or medieval Japan, I was just teasing you.

I guess that no matter how horrible the oppression, it is still better to be alive under some oppressor than to have never lived at all. Otherwise there would never have been empires.

[Arumdaum]

Go back in time and give Charles I a surgically enhanced backbone.

Which one?

[Samuraikoku]

OK. I don't know much about ancient or medieval Japan, I was just teasing you.

I guess that no matter how horrible the oppression, it is still better to be alive under some oppressor than to have never lived at all. Otherwise there would never have been empires.

Depends on what you define as oppression. If you mean living inside an empire, having to pay tribute, but letting you mind your own business, then yes, it's better that than living under constant threat of death. Romans - FOR THE MOST PART - did the former. And let's not forget that not everyone knew the concept of democracy at that time.

[Serrland]

Go back in time and give Charles I a surgically enhanced backbone.

Which one?

The one who waited until the Parliamentarians captured London before bothering to raise an army against them.