I would not call myself a historian, I just study history.
I think everyone should have a working knowledge of our history, which started in earnest about 15,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, so they have context as regards the evolution of civilization, and who we are as a species.
And I try and look at the big picture, not details, as the evolution of civilization takes different steps in different places.
The miles stones would be ancient greece having the first workable written language, Gutenberg inventing the printing press in 1437, and the resultant Age of Enlightenment.
I am more interested in milestones, and do not get into the weeds. Which I think is the biggest mistake many people make i.e not looking at the big picture.
As far as the Romans go, the big picture is not how much Rome knew, but how much ancient Greece knew,
AND the fact Rome destroyed ancient Greece, and burned 99% of their books and libraries, and probably set human civilization back 1,000 years.
Rome had a few weak intellectuals, by ancient Greek standards, like Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, but they were nothing compared to hundreds of ancient Greeks like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and so many more.
Ancient Greece gave us ideas of democracy and ethics and science, that were so sophisticated Will Durant felt their thinking was contemporary to modern day thinking.
And Rome destroyed all that knowledge! |
