Silk should not be in Roman related Conquests

[Djarum Kretek]

I found silk in several Conquests scenarios involving Rome and Byzantines (Middle Ages). Silk was a luxury that was enjoyed by the Romans by way of: importing from China.

It wasn't readily available to the Roman civs just like that. It couldn't be 'found' a few tiles away. I think the developers need to fix this for historical accuracy's sake. Alter the silk luxury items for something else. Emeralds maybe?

 

[Xen]

in the byzantine scenario it is justified, for by then Byzantine monks had both traveld to china, and, on official order of the Byzantine emperor, take the steps to both bring back the secret of silk production (silk worms), and to ensure proper handiling f the materials- they were able to bribe silk workwers into telling them the secrets of silk production, and bring back the silkworms- making the Byzantine empire a central source of silk production

 

[SuperBettaFish]

Originally posted by Xen
in the byzantine scenario it is justified, for by then Byzantine monks had both traveld to china, and, on official order of the Byzantine emperor, take the steps to both bring back the secret of silk production (silk worms), and to ensure proper handiling f the materials- they were able to bribe silk workwers into telling them the secrets of silk production, and bring back the silkworms- making the Byzantine empire a central source of silk production

Where did you learn that? I am curious because as far as I know, silk was always imported from China.

I bought a series of documentary named "Silk Road" and within it they explore the trade routes from ancient China all the way to Rome, and they mentioned Romans have always associated China with silk. I don't see any mentioning of Byzantine empire producing silk.

Just wondering.

 

[ChrTh]

If it makes you feel better, just treat the Silk sites as a 'localized distribution center of imported Silk'

 

[Xen]

Originally posted by SuperBettaFish


Where did you learn that? I am curious because as far as I know, silk was always imported from China.

I bought a series of documentary named "Silk Road" and within it they explore the trade routes from ancient China all the way to Rome, and they mentioned Romans have always associated China with silk. I don't see any mentioning of Byzantine empire producing silk.

Just wondering.

in my history class, that where- did the Romans always associate china with silk- yes, the Roman name for the chinese capital even translates to "city of silk", but then historians often make a distinction between Rome, and Byzantium

 

[Xen]

here is a good link

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/2398/bginfo/trade/silk.html

 

[SuperBettaFish]

I still don't think Byzantium can actually produce silk because of the weather and the specialized leaves that the silk worms eat are not found there. I will search some sites on this...

 

[Xen]

silk worms eat mulberry leaves- pleanty of them in southern Greece, Anatolia,South Italy, and Syria apperntlly

 

[SuperBettaFish]

Cool! Thanks.

 

[Djarum Kretek]

Wow, Byzantines produced silk? I have a new found respect for those guys. They did to China 1000 years ago what China is doing to many world products today: copying...

 

[Cuivienen]

Copying was what the Byzantine Empire did best.

 

[Xen]

no, it was innovation- after all, it was the Byzantine who devised half the written languages eastern europe use today, not to mention that interesitng little invention called greek fire, and numerous other advances in the field of battle, not to mention advanced tyhought on philosphy based on the christian faith... point is Cuivienen, dont diss the Byzantines unless you can back it up, and I assure you, you cant on this issue

 

[SuperBettaFish]

I agree, but I don't think Greek Fire is actually their invention though. I recall that they modified and perfected some long lost technique to make it more deadly.

 

[Xen]

no they didnt, it was a unique thing- think man! if "greek fire" had been known earlyer it woul dhave beed used on a MASSIVE scale by Roman armies.... and recorded being used just as much as it was used...

 

[Djarum Kretek]

SuperBetafish is correct...

'Greek fire' was a derivation of the Assyrian version. An Assryrian scientist discovered it first. Hundreds of years before the World even heard of the Byzantines, or even the Romans... The Assyrians just weren't that good at utilizing its full abilities. The Byzantines apparently were better at seeing the potential.

Why the previous civs didn't use 'Greek Fire' type weapons properly? Well, many times... human judgement and imagination were always limited. Just like the English and her Allies who didn't know how to use tanks properly to fight trench warfare in WW I. The Germans, who were victims of the first tank attacks (by the Allies in WW I), saw the real potential of tanks.

Later on, the Nazi Germans were the ones who truly demonstrate that tanks could solve the messy trench problem. They did so to France and the Allies in the early years of WW II.

Hey, anyway, this thread is about silk in Roman times...... We do not intend to attack the Byzantines' copyright rights. Whereever they got the ideas from, they may copy it, reverse engineer it, whatever. They were pretty good for a few hundred years and may they rest in peace...

 

[Xen]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to see some real evidence before i can accept the Assyrian invention of primitive napalm

after all, I'm rather famillier with the Assyrian wars- and never once have I heard of any sort of flame throwers coming into use