Learning about history makes you realise how little you know

[Delbow]

I like history, have always liked history and have read a lot of history books, from very dry academic ones to more story-driven ones. I also like watching history documentaries. And every time I read something new I'm blown away by how much I didn't know. 

 

Currently I'm listening to a lecture by Roy Casagranda called 'How Islam saved Western civilization'. I'm only half way through and have learned the following: 

 

- When Julius Caesar invaded Gaul, his armies killed 1 million Gauls and enslaved another 1 million. Out of a population of 3 million

 

- Cleopatra was not Egyptian and was from a massively inbred Geek family. Where most people have 32 great, great, great grandparents, she had 4

 

- the steam engine was invented in Turkey around 2000 years ago by a guy called Heron. He also built an analogue computer and a mechanical theatre, a sort of mechanical TV

 

- the first written Bill of Rights was produced by the Persian empire about 2500 years ago and abolished slavery and guaranteed religious freedom

 

When you get even slightly deep into history, you realise that so much of what you were taught at school was just plain wrong, often the most simplified or convenient version of events, but not what actually happened. If you really want your eyes opened, to be constantly surprised, get into history!

[Al Bundy]

3 minutes ago, Delbow said:

I like history, have always liked history and have read a lot of history books, from very dry academic ones to more story-driven ones. I also like watching history documentaries. And every time I read something new I'm blown away by how much I didn't know. 

 

Currently I'm listening to a lecture by Roy Casagranda called 'How Islam saved Western civilization'. I'm only half way through and have learned the following: 

 

- When Julius Caesar invaded Gaul, his armies killed 1 million Gauls and enslaved another 1 million. Out of a population of 3 million

 

- Cleopatra was not Egyptian and was from a massively inbred Geek family. Where most people have 32 great, great, great grandparents, she had 4

 

- the steam engine was invented in Turkey around 2000 years ago by a guy called Heron. He also built an analogue computer and a mechanical theatre, a sort of mechanical TV

 

- the first written Bill of Rights was produced by the Persian empire about 2500 years ago and abolished slavery and guaranteed religious freedom

 

When you get even slightly deep into history, you realise that so much of what you were taught at school was just plain wrong, often the most simplified or convenient version of events, but not what actually happened. If you really want your eyes opened, to be constantly surprised, get into history!

You absolutely sure she wasn't from Barnsley?

[Delbow]

Just now, Al Bundy said:

You absolutely sure she wasn't from Barnsley?

 

Heh. I think I made a mistake in that bit, it might be 32 ancestors that most people have if you go back that many generations. Either way, if she really was beautiful then she lucked out, because hers was a family tree with almost no branches.

[Padders]

40 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

You absolutely sure she wasn't from Barnsley?

Cleopatra was born in Hampstead, London, under her maiden name of Elisabeth Taylor......

[Guest]

The thing about learning history is that there is no known way to read the future, but opinion will play a massive part in both.

[geared]

Cleopatra's bloodline isn't fully know, but what is know is disgusting.

 

They were completely inbred, direct brother/sister marriage, producing offspring that then went on to repeat.  It's surprising how many generations they actually managed, usually that sort of behaviour ends itself fairly swiftly.

[Delbow]

1 hour ago, geared said:

Cleopatra's bloodline isn't fully know, but what is know is disgusting.

 

They were completely inbred, direct brother/sister marriage, producing offspring that then went on to repeat.  It's surprising how many generations they actually managed, usually that sort of behaviour ends itself fairly swiftly.

 

Yeah, apparently it was because they looked down on the Egyptians so much that they couldn't stand the idea of interbreeding with them and so kept within their own gene (paddling) pool. 

[hackey lad]

1 hour ago, geared said:

Cleopatra's bloodline isn't fully know, but what is know is disgusting.

 

They were completely inbred, direct brother/sister marriage, producing offspring that then went on to repeat.  It's surprising how many generations they actually managed, usually that sort of behaviour ends itself fairly swiftly.

What was her relationship with Sid James  ?

[geared]

1 hour ago, hackey lad said:

What was her relationship with Sid James  ?

 

Mother/brother/cousin/grandmother/aunt and everything in-between by the sounds of things.

 

Revolting stuff, you can only imagine the disfigurement that would have resulted.

Edited August 7 by geared

[echo beach]

I never knew Cleopatra was a Geek.

Always thought she was quite intelligent and attractive, a bit like the ladies on SF.😀

 

Bear in mind that historical accounts are usually written by the victors.

 

I used to teach history. Quite boring at times. Well, it was just one thing after another!😆

 

echo.