RE: Glorantha Digest, Vol 11, Issue 152

From: Silburn, Luke <Luke.Silburn_at_logicacmg.com>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 10:51:28 +0100


Donald:
>>I don't think you can keep the low tech feel you describe unless you
>>exclude all the early medieval stuff as well - drop all the viking
>>analogies and merely allow technology up to the 1st or 2nd centuries
>>AD. That peak of Roman technology wasn't exceeded until the late
>>middle ages when gunpowder appears in europe.
 

You're arguing against yourself here surely? If early Imperial Rome was a technological peak that wasn't surpassed until the late medieval then you don't need to exclude the early medieval stuff. In any case I don't agree with that last assertion - the Romans had the 'soft' technologies (organisation, economic stability, communications, security for trade etc) which allowed them to to do things on an impressive scale but the sophistication of the actual technological solutions they deployed were nothing to write home about - stirrups, mold-board ploughs, an effective draft-harness, wheelbarrows, wind/water mills and many other things came into common use in Europe between Constantine and the Comnenii.  

Regards
Luke

This e-mail and any attachment is for authorised use by the intended recipient(s) only. It may contain proprietary material, confidential information and/or be subject to legal privilege. It should not be copied, disclosed to, retained or used by, any other party. If you are not an intended recipient then please promptly delete this e-mail and any attachment and all copies and inform the sender. Thank you.


End of Glorantha Digest, Vol 11, Issue 153


Powered by hypermail