Legionaries V.S Spartans

[Ghostmojo]

So i guess Rome wasn't the most elite fighting force in the world hock: its amazing to think about how the world would have been different if Rome never conquered Greece and the lands beyond. :-o

Well, please remember that my reponses were also tinged with a little tongue-in-cheek humour! :wink: However, having said that the rise of Rome was by no means a certainty. Historically they were impressive - but they were also lucky. Had Alexander III survived, returned to Greece and then headed west (as he had suggested he might) then Rome might have remained a small provincial Italian city under one or other of his Successors - or its emergence might have been somewhat delayed. Ditto Hannibal, had he had more luck, more reliable allies and some seige equipment. Rome didn't win the 2nd Punic War - Mr. Barca lost it.

And remember that Roman culture had been thoroughly Hellenised. Via Rome, Europe and then the world inherited not just Roman culture, but also Greek culture too. When the Roman Empire split - the Greek-speaking eastern bit evolved its own way. The difference between western Roman Catholicism and eastern Greek Orthodoxy was to play a major role in shaping mediaeval Europe - and it still does. The great Russian empire is a direct descendant of Byzantium (originally the Greek city of Byzantion before it became Constantinople). And of course whilst many Greeks became not just Romanised, and convinced that Rome was the salvation of them - equally many Romans were Hellenised.

Imagine that Rome had not become preeminent for 500 years. Perhaps we would be living in a similar world that was more Greek-based (church particularly) with Christ having arrived under a Successor regime. It might still be similar. Who knows? Had Carthage become preeminent then I've no idea what would have happened.