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It is what makes the Romans my absolute favourite ancient civilisation. For all their aristocratic and aggressive tendencies, they are so profoundly unpretentious compared to their neighbours (aside from the Barbarians, and in the case of the uncomplicated Germans, they would go on to do great...

So, I’ve been reading too much Greek history again. It really does strike me how close both Athens and Sparta came to political systems as robust as the Res Publica, but it’s almost like they were a touch too dogmatic to take the next step (Athens could have been more of a constitutional...

Never forget that Rodrigo Borgia had not been in the ground for even twenty years when Luther hammered his theses up. The Catholic Church was not helping itself. Speaking of not helping itself, everyone always whales on Henry VIII for his divorce with Rome, but what else was he meant to do? He...

I don’t think there is ever a timeline where you can slam the Orthodox and Roman Church back together. They’ve been split for over a thousand years, significantly developed in different ways, and don’t even use the same sodding liturgical language. Now I can certainly see the Roman Church...

In the past we have spoken of how many a culture does fit into the historical cycle, such as seen in Ancient Mesopotamia. It tracks relatively well, right into the Assyrians basically attaining the first universal empire. Yet, unlike Rome, Ashur’s dominion basically disintegrates within a few...

I have mentioned in the past how I think it is all somewhat unavoidable. The population explosion after the Industrial Revolution was unprecedented, and what we are seeing now is that explosion running out of steam. Alongside all the other barriers we have so foolishly put in the way of young...

Russia isn’t dead, or perhaps even dying, but it is gravely ill. Will it survive this illness? I’d err on the side of “yes.” Countries and civilisations are difficult things to kill off and things have to go very wrong indeed for a few centuries straight in order for that to happen. I think in...

Alas that for basically any Bronze Age civilisation that isn’t Egypt or Babylon, I would have to say “good luck.” Much of what I am able to glean about them has come from the internet, although there are some good YouTube documentaries on them. It’s a long one, but I reckoned you might want...

Given my ever growing autistic fixation with the Bronze Age, it strikes me that the Mycenaeans really are a “road not taken” for European civilisation. They’ve a tremendous amount of similarities to their Greek descendants, yet there’s still that very strong sense of Indo-European warrior...

God save the King, Britain wins again. But that is actually a really interesting way of looking at it. Such a future Indian Empire, which could be a contemporary of the American Principate if the macro theory is correct, would be almost a strange cousin of the West. Because despite being...

Once the ball has started rolling with crushing Islam in that part of the world, why stop there? Perhaps India would go on to conquer Pakistan and Bangladesh, reuniting the Raj in some shape or form. Need the “living space” for such a massive population after all. Question, how do (if they have...

Modern Egypt is much like Modern Iran; they are both the children of truly ancient civilisations, whilst being raised by Islam. There does seem to be discord in the souls of their people, for whilst they have embraced Islam they still dwell upon and glory in the name of their pagan/heathen...

“Eldest living civilisation”

I think China will suffer some nastiness after the fall of communism, but after that nastiness it will be "Empire long divided, must unite." That China may well have rose tinted glasses for its pre-revolutionary past and might even install a full blown Emperor on the Dragon Throne (although...

Concerning previous musings on China, I’ve been having some thoughts. Communism does not endure long, maybe close to a century at most. Xi Jinping is a mad Emperor and committed Marxist who’s policies are causing a tremendous amount of woe for China; he has also purged his court of opposition...

And guess what? I’ve got to live through most of that. Fan-fucking-tastic. The French Revolution really did ruin everything for everyone. Oh well, best start stocking up on tinned beans… IE, the Principate. Ave Imperator Augustus Caesar. Very insightful, although I’d wager it was a...

Given that he died a matter of months before the Spanish Civil War broke out, one wonders what Spengler would have made of that conflict; he at the very least must have noticed the waters becoming more turbulent in Spain. I bring that up because more than a few, and not without reason, reckon...

To an extent, and the march through the Gedrosian desert was a huge blunder (but well intentioned. Alexander sought the quickest land route back to Babylon, he was not punishing his soldiers), but again as testament to the great man, he knew when it was time to bail in India. He was reluctant...

People often lay the death of Cleitus at Alexander’s feet, but as a testament to his character Alexander would accept that judgement with so sad a look in his eyes. And I can’t say I’d knock the risk taking. I’m familiar with the “first across the wall” incident (the one where his troops are...

Alexander’s issue was that he died young and almost inexplicably, without a stable line of succession. In another life he may well have simply chopped the failing Achaemenids out for the Argeads, and the Persian Empire would have trundled on without too much change. As far as Macedonian Kings...