What's your favorite period of history?

[Zzzptm]

Myself, I love studying history. I'd have to say that the period I've studied the most would be the military history of the 1940s... World War Two, by another name. As a kid, I was fascinated with tanks and planes and battleships. As an adult, I've studied the commanders, strategies, and politics of the era.

Second to that for me is the Late Classical Period - roughly the time of Imperial Rome and the Han Dynasty. It's a time full of changes, intrigue, and when the world first began to build out global trade networks.

What do you like to study and talk about?

[Charger]

I'm always been very keen on ancient Egypt. That era has always intrigued me. The mythology, the gods, the pyramids all of it.

Same goes for the Mayans.

Also all the connections between the ancient Egypt and the Mayans (and other bit SA cultures too)...the pyramids being the most obvious one..how could two culture with seemingly no possible connection built so similar structures? That is one THE big questions of history.

[Thelemech]

The history and ramifications of the first and second world wars.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I guess you're really talking about civilised history, but I really like the pre-history with the dinosaurs and the history of the solar system.

But I have to agree with Charger about Egypt, and throw in the whole mediterranean region circa 1000 BC thru their decline.

[Jack the Stripper]

^^Agree about the dinosaur age and solar system and formation of the universe.

In terms of civilised history. Ancient Rome and the rise and fall of the Roman Empire and having Scottish ancestry, I've always had a fascination with Scotland and the highland clan wars.   

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
^^^^^^
I also agree about the dinosaur age and solar system and formation of the universe.

For civilized history, Europe's Medieval period. 

[Charger]

Oh yes I didn't even think about that... I'll join you in praising the history of the solar system and ofcourse the formation of our entire universe...

And from a more recent times...all the major exinction events are of great interest.

[Zzzptm]

Looks like we got enough interest to start up a dinosaur thread. That is, a *real* dinosaur thread, not one about Led Zeppelin.

For the Egypt-South America connection, there's some interesting research in the area of pre-Columbian transoceanic trade. The short version is that there was quite possibly some bi-directional traffic going on at various times before Columbus pointed a boat west. Looking at diseases, crops, pottery decorations, and things like that, there's a case to be made for a substantial number of contacts, back and forth.

So, yes, I also enjoy pre-Columbian prehistory.

[Zzzptm]

The history and ramifications of the first and second world wars.

The First World War, in particular for me. Such an incredible, convulsive period. I'm about to start up again on Robert Fisk's "The Great War for Civilisation", which I had started a few years back and got up to his chapters on Algeria. But it looks back at WW1 and things like the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Armenian and Kurdish Genocides, the Arab Rebellion and how they dramatically wrecked things in the Middle East.

[Zzzptm]

^^^^^^
^^^^^^
I also agree about the dinosaur age and solar system and formation of the universe.

For civilized history, Europe's Medieval period. 

What aspects of the Medieval period? Or just anything Medieval piques your interest?

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
^^^^^^
I also agree about the dinosaur age and solar system and formation of the universe.

For civilized history, Europe's Medieval period. 

What aspects of the Medieval period? Or just anything Medieval piques your interest?

Pretty much anything, but especially:

  >The class structure from the peasants right up to the king.  It is like a game of chess in real life. 
  >Heraldry and its uses.  A colorful language all its own.
  >Castles and fortresses.  As a teenager I became fascinated by the look of these magnificent structures and then I learned the many strategic defenses in their development.

[Zzzptm]

OK, cool! Time for some new threads.