Lack of technological progress in late Roman Empire

[Carlton Bach]

People make easy distinctions between romans and provincial citizens.
Most people make little distinctions between arabs and islamics.

Questions:

1) Does the notion of "roman contributions" mean that we are to list things invented by those born in Rome city, or we are to include areas around Rome, or maybe people of roman origin, or people not of roman stock but roman citizens from itlay and more distant provinces,...

2) If an invention was made in some hellenistic province, in some punic province, in syria, or in gaul, do we quickly say "Ah it was a local contribution, not a roman one".

3) Does the notion of "islamic contributions" mean that we are to lists contributions of just the Arabs or more reasonably it means from any islamic living in the world of Islam?

4) If an invention was made in Spain, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Sicily do we go and say "Ah it was an Islamic contribution".

ASk the Iranians about that someday :twisted:

No, really. For some reason, many modern writers and teachers buy into the Roman self-image of born conquerors and administrators that leave technology or arts to lesser breeds. It gets quite annoying at times. Now, as far as I am concerned any innovation that originates anywhere within the Roman-ruled world is 'Roman', It still leaves a limited number, compared to the red-hot era of innovation that preceded them, but why count them down artificially?

(Yes, my professors were 'minimalists', too)