HI Douglas,
Taking a break here. Interesting post, seems you must have read a lot of similar things as I growing up, then again I read almost everything voraciously. I've always found all this roots stuff fascinating. The mixing and blending of 'tribes' to form new tribes etc. An interesting fictional history of England I read a few years back gave a unique perspective of this effect, Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd. I don't know if you noticed as I have in the news reporting, especially of Northern Alliance the obvious wide variety of features present. Some very light skinned, some positively oriental, more like Mongolian or Tibetan or Chinese etc. Just not very stereotypical.
The Iranians (Persians) were quite formidable but never quite cracked the European nut thanks to those pesky Greeks or we might all be speaking Farsi, a la Xerxes or Darius :o) Trajan always sticks in my mind thinking of Rome because as you mention Rome even controlled the entire fertile crescent at that point and it lent an obviously different physical view of Rome's expanse (an Imperial bubble LOL). Hadrian, well he had that wall thing going on but yeah the Persians were too much for him ;o). Speaking of Hadrian as an aside England is just an incredible place if you like history. Rent a car and take your time. I was planning to go back in the next year or two. I never got as far as the walls last time but did squeeze in Bath, Stonehenge, Arundel, Salisbury, a bit of London and a host of other sites.
Historically only two groups have accomplished that feat Al is rolling over in his grave right about now LOL. He took Persia (damn those Greeks again) and got stopped out just past the Indus as I recall. But he too, like ole Genghis left not much behind when he died (except that Egyptian library which didn't last :o(
So ignore the carping of the old "beards" in Iran and focus upon the actions of their political leadership Yup, that's my point too. I think wrt the Mullah's, as BB King would say 'The Thrill is Gone' :o) I hadn't been giving much thought to Iran prior to WTC but on closer inspection I do feel optimistic on that front.
Tacitus I'll try and give it a read. My problem is when I get hold of a good read I'm lost to the world :o)
Conoco
I've been following them ever since they got all those juicy continental properties from my old pal Gulf Canada Resources.
regards
Kastel
a cute and cuddly Canadian |
