The plane of Arborea serves as the Olympus of this world, how do you think would the culture adapt and evolve? How would magic be seen after being utilized in the past mostly by evil or morally ambigious female entities? How would you DM this type of world? What would you desire to play as a Player?
Edit: Am a bit dissapointed by the lack of creativity in the discussion, merely pointing towards Theros who is very loosely inspired by greek mythology while completely scrapping the gods, mythological heroes and various forms of customs. But I understand it's easier to point to an existing setting than to think about the topic. I would still enjoy DM and player takes on what they'd do in this type of setting.
Because Greece never managed to unify (There were a few leagues of cities, mini imperial empires, etc, but they didn't last.), it fell pray to conquest first by Macedonia, and then by Rome.
But those Greek city-states created impressive art, philosophy, literature, science, and built thriving economies. One can also consider the waring Italian city states of the Renaissance and their achievements along a similar line.
Do we have any reason to suspect that decentralization, in the case of Greece or as a broader concept, historically lead to increased ferment and societal "progress," as least if we consider progress to pertain to the creation of good art, science, philosophy, etc?
I'd like to read up on daily life, social norms, food, clothing, religious practices, etc; basically, anything that can describe daily life as close as it's possible for us to get. I know these things are all still being argued over and nothing is really definitively settled, but still, I'm looking for some really good deep dives on any aspect of these topics. I've also never been in a university Classics program and have no idea where to start looking. Anyone have any recommendations?
"This monotony of literature, without merit, without genius and without character, is a phenomenon which deserves more attention than it has hitherto received: it is a phenomenon unique in the literary history of the world. How could there have been so much cultivation, so much diligence in writing, and so little mind or real creative power? Why did a thousand years invent nothing better than Sibylline books, Orphic poems, Byzantine imitations of classical histories, Christian reproductions of Greek plays, novels like the silly and obscene romances of Longus and Heliodorus, innumerable forged epistles, a great many epigrams, biographies of the meanest and most meagre description, a sham philosophy which was the bastard progeny of the union between Hellas and the East?"
While it would be unfair to say that the Near East ceased to be relevant after Alexander's conquests, it is remarkable how what was almost the fringe of society during the Bronze Age started setting new cultural standards well into the Middle Ages. How did this happen? Is there any set of institutions that can account for the rise of hellenic culture?
This is undoubtedly a very loaded and problematic question, but what can be said in response to it?
I did intend to present Shang China and the polis makeup of classical Greece as arbitrary, referential contrasts, though not necessarily opposites or antitheses of each other.
People tend to relate them but I find them very different on all levels except maybe architecture
Is there a book that covers the military history during the period 492-338 BC? This would cover the first Persian invasion of Greece in 492 BC, and end with the victory of Macedon over Thebes at Chaeronea in 338 BC. It would also cover the rivalries between Sparta, Athens, and Thebes. I'm not talking about a book on hoplites, triremes and military tactics (although those might be touched on in a book like this is). I'm interested in the "foreign relations" and military struggles between the city-states. Something kind of like A.J.P. Taylor's Struggle for Mastery, but instead of 19th century European nation-states and empires, it would be about 5th and 4th century BC Greek city-states.
So, I've been thinking about the various encouragements to diversify Dark Academia, and first off I completely agree. The aesthetic DA is punkishly riffing on is a very white elitist one, and people do need to be careful not to fall over into simple glorification. I am gratified that DA is such a considerate movement - perhaps it is just the DA spaces I visit but I see far more heartfelt pleas to diversify than I do simple and unironic romanticisations. (That is of course not to say that problematic material isn't around in DA spaces that I don't visit).
Plus it is very good for its own sake to read more diverse literature. Classics are often classics for a reason but there's an entire world of different experiences and perspectives to take in.
But, I've been a bit dubious about the occasional efforts to dismiss the Greeks and Romans simply as 'Dead White Guys'. The cultures and perspectives of the ancient and classical world are so alien to ours that there really isn't much crossover. Ancient Greece is far more alien to contemporary Western thought than, say, contemporary China is.
(Plus our concept of Race and geography doesn't at all transfer, not only would an ancient Greek not understand Race as a modern, say, American would (and certainly would have no idea what is meant by 'white'), but western Europe was a very small and insignificant part of the Greek and Roman Worlds - both those civilisations were far more centered on Asia and North Africa. )
So I guess I'm just saying that IMO you should read diverse and also Ancient / Classical Greece and Rome is diverse and not something to be avoided or ashamed of being interested in. I'm worried that young people - who likely won't have learnt much Greek or Roman philosophy or literature unless they did in fact go to an elite school which the vast majority of us didn't - are hearing not to learn this stuff, which would be a great loss of treaures and the chance to experience some truly alien thought to our modern world.
I remember reading that during the olympics, wars were suspended and the events were seen as a time to come together. But given the way the Olympics in the modern period are intensely political (boycotts by the US and USSR in 1980 and 1984), the refusal of Iranian athletes to compete against Israelis, etc), I’m suspicious that things were significantly different in the classical time.
Do we have evidence that the Olympics during the classical period were actually a time of peace and unity, or just another way of competing for prestige and influence with fewer deaths (although not none given the Pankration).
How do you or other people define the Industrial Revolution?
For me its the following things that happened in 1800s Britain:
-Factories, Steam power/engines and Railroads
-Mass-production of high-quality steel, copper and other metals
-Production of new tools that multiplied worker productivity
(I know there are other aspects but these are the ones I focus on)
Early Modern Era is 1500s to 1800s, crossing with the Age of Sail and other events. How would an Industrial Revolution in the 1500s change the fate of the Native Americans, Muslims, Asians and Africans?
How different would the Bronze Age Hittites and Assyrians be if they were Industrialized?
Would Ancient Israel Industrialize if its neighbors did, even if it means changing everything, or resist and face earlier destruction than in our history?
Does the Persian Empire curbstomped the Greeks if both groups were Industrialized due to the formers unity, better administration and larger economic/population?
Which nations/civilizations/tribes in each region/subcontinent in each time period would be most suited for an Industrial Revolution with the help of a Time-traveler?
Does Industrialization pre-1800s allow small nations or tribes to curbstomp their bigger neighbors? To blob up into large empires?
Do these Industrialized nations convince the slaves of their enemies to revolt in exchange for becoming their citizens?
Would a pre-1800s Industrial Revolution cause many nations to be hyper-expansionist?
Does Early Modern, Medieval and/or Ancient China become ultra-expansionist, semi-egalitarian and more multi-cultural if they were Industrialized?
What other rammifications would there be for an earlier Industrial Revolution?
I'm talking the same Roman army that defeated the faltering Macedonian Empire.
And I'm talking the same Greek-City armies that stood their ground during the Persian Wars. So, Cleomenes/Leonidas with prime Spartans, Athens with their large naval fleet, under Miltiades and Themistocles, and of course the other Greek allies.
While it would be unfair to say that the Near East ceased to be relevant after Alexander's conquests, it is remarkable how what was almost the fringe of society during the Bronze Age started setting new cultural standards well into the Middle Ages. How did this happen? Is there any set of institutions that can account for the rise of hellenic culture?
