What history would you most love to visit?

[I, Brian]

Here's a question – which periods of history would you most like to visit?

For my own part I would have love to experience something of the Roman Empire under the Julian-Claudian line – very possibly Gaius Caligula, just to see how much of his image is based on satirical reports.

But the 4th century Roman world also has it's calling – it would be fascinating to follow Constantine more closely and see the reality of the process of doctrine formation and canonisation – not least have a seat at the first Council of Nicaea, just to see how heated thngs were.

Of course, it would also be intriguing to visit Galilee around 30 AD just to see the reality of the situation there, and see the objective reality in detail.

Aside from those – perhaps seem something of life in Ancient Egyptian – but definitely no later than Third Dynasty – perhaps Akhenaten or Ramases II. It would also be absolutely fascinating to visit Babylon in it's hey-day and see that fabled city in detail – else the earlier standing ziggurats of the first lasting dawn of civilisation in ancient Sumer.

OH, and Athens in the 4th century BC...

There are other periods of interest as well, but that would make for a good start.

Now, over to anyone else, if you will...

[Gnome]

I'd like to visit the first part of the 20th Century.....say from 1900 to 1950.....seems I've been told so many lies about what happened during those years, I'd like to see it first hand to make sense out of the last half.

[littlemissattitude]

Oh, Florence during the time that Michelangelo was working there and Savonarola was doing his pre-television televangelist thing. Michelangelo is my favorite artist, as I've said elsewhere on this forum. And I'd really like to see if Savonarola's sermons were as similar to the televangelists' line as they read. I did a paper on Savonarola for a class one time - he is a fascinating character. Did you know that he had a very humanist education? I found that surprising in light of how he ended up.

The Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico during Maya times. Our picture of the Maya is changing so much due to discoveries during the past few years; apparently they weren't as peaceable as early estimates made them out to be. I'd love to see the truth of it.

The early years of the Christian church, right after Christ's time. To me, whether or not Jesus was what he is assumed to be is quite beside the point, as people will believe or not no matter what any historical evidence might show - I would love to see how the first Christians really managed during the time right after Christ left. Maybe because I took a Bib lit class on the Book of Acts, I am fascinated by the early expansion of the church and the arguments that went on between the first Christians, who were Jews, and the non-Jews who came into the church - things like whether or not a person had to become a Jew before he or she could become a Christian. Some of the Jews said yes (which, I would assume, led to a lack of adult male converts) and most of the Greeks said no. Another thing about this period - I would really be interested in finding out if the Apostle Paul was really as much of a misogynist as he comes off in his letters.

Well, that's enough for now, although I'm pretty sure I'll think of more.

[littlemissattitude]

Originally Posted by Gnome

I'd like to visit the first part of the 20th Century.....say from 1900 to 1950.....seems I've been told so many lies about what happened during those years, I'd like to see it first hand to make sense out of the last half.

You slipped in there ahead of me, while I was composing that long post, Gnome. I think you have quite a point there. Even in my research for my baby boomer writing project, from 1946 on, I'm realizing how much we live in a completely different world now - yet there are so many things that are so much the same now as they were then, so many arguments that were going on then that are still going on today in one form or another. I'm in the process of creating a timeline of the baby boomer years, and some of the things I've been finding are really interesting.

[Gnome]

Originally Posted by littlemissattitude

You slipped in there ahead of me, while I was composing that long post, Gnome. I think you have quite a point there. Even in my research for my baby boomer writing project, from 1946 on, I'm realizing how much we live in a completely different world now - yet there are so many things that are so much the same now as they were then, so many arguments that were going on then that are still going on today in one form or another. I'm in the process of creating a timeline of the baby boomer years, and some of the things I've been finding are really interesting.

I'm looking forward to when you are able to share what you've "dug up".
I believe that the desire to turn to conspiracy theories to explain events took root during the "boom" because the explainations we recieved were so lame. "Cover up" is what one usually assumes now for reports that just don't ring true. So, in effect, we don't believe anything anymore.

[LadyFel]

I'd LOVE to live in the medieval period...ideally London during the Wars of the Roses...it's always been my favourite period...

To find out what really happened to the Princes in the Tower and whether Richard III really was such a %&$# as historians have been saying...

I'd settle for being a servant in a castle somewhere, if I could just visit

[I, Brian]

Hi LadyFel and welcome to the chronicles-network.

[Elysium]

I'd like to see The Greece of Homers time, Rome pre- christianity and during the outbreak of chrisitianity.
A bit of medieval England and most definitely Victorian England.
And Europe pre-WWI
I'd love to have a timeship and get to see it all quite frankly. History is fascinating. But modern comforts are not something I'd give up to go back in time. I would have to make short visits.

[littlemissattitude]

I've got to add to my list above, Egypt during the time the Great Pyramid was being built. I'd love to see what that culture was really like...and of course the idea of knowing the truth about how that huge pyramid was built is just intriguing.

[nemogbr]

I wouldn't mind being Methos the Immortal and watching events in history unfold or perhaps a sort of Librarian of Palanthus and write everything down...

Anyway a timeship is a good idea in oredr to skip the boring bits and I would definitely want to visit during the twentieth Century and maybe find a few people like Nicolai Tesla and Albert Einstein bring them into the late twentieth and see what happens.

Then I'll have to pay a visit to the continent of Atlantis ......

[littlemissattitude]

LadyFel...You're absolutely right. It would be fascinating to see the truth about Richard III.

By the way, did you ever read "Daughter of Time" by Josephine Tey? It is a fascinating mystery novel, written in the 1950s, that has a detective laid up in the hospital. As a way to keep his mind occupied, he tries to figure out whether or not Richard III did his nephews in or not. I know of university history professors who assign this book to their students as a great example of historical investigation; and for all that, it is an interesting read, not "academic" in a dry sort of way at all.

[dwndrgn]

It's funny that you mention that novel. It was mentioned in a recent mystery that I read where the main character, who is a detective, and in hospital for gunshot wounds, is suggested the novel by his associate. The idea of it pulls him in and he gets involved in another investigation during his recuperation.

I think I'll have to read it now!

[LadyFel]

I haven't read it, but thanks for the hint, I think my mother may have it somewhere...

The book which got me hooked was a huge romance novel I read about 10 years ago, called 'The Sunne in Splendour' by Sharon Penman...usually I don't like that sort of stuff, my mum is a Jean Plaidy et al. fanatic, I learned English by reading them...But Penman researches her books so well, down to the exact location of her characters on a particular date, they're a joy to read...Anyway, her case in favour of Richard was so plausible it got me thinking...

[knivesout]

Hmmm...


Ideally, I'd like visit just about every notable civilization and period.

If I really had to choose, I would visit the Indus Valley Civilization, India's earliest civilization to leave any significant traces. Apart from everything else , they had a working drainage system and well-planned cities, two arcane arts that seem to be totally lost in modern India!!!

I would also like to visit the Mayans and the Incas, simply because we know so little of tem compared to most of the other major early civilizations.

[Shiola]

Go back to the dinosaurs (armed with a gun and Hummer obviously), I'd also invent the patent office, then invent the wheel, then patent my wheel invention.

I'd also like to have been part of the British Navy exploring the South Pacific for the first time (not on The Bounty though).