NationStates Jolt Archive

How about this, The Roman Empire does more with the advanced technology it had appearntly than make amusements. It used that steam powered do-hicky to make a steam engine and has an industrail revolution. Those primitave batteries they had get more advanced, and that mechanical computer becoms electrical. One of those huge ships they made makes it to the New world. And they succsesfully defend themselvels from the barbarians and stableize their government. Now what?

Problem one: Metallurgy.

And the New World is not that useful - it became useful when Europe became overcrowded.

As a history major, I honestly don't know the appropriate response to this.

But I'll attempt one anyway. Ok, to begin with: Rome would have to survive into the ninth century to even just achieve your basis of this topic. Not to say it's impossible, but that sort of technological jump is incredible. Maybe to put things in perspective, China was decades ahead of Rome during its height, and was the most powerful state on the Earth. Europe at this point is only doing so well because of Rome's advanced position. After Rome goes away, Europe becomes a backwater, poor, quagmire with barbarians. Rome, if contact is made with China and conflict follows, will be crushed swiftly. They don't have the possibility of recruiting the resources to manage an efficient network of steam engines, and such a rapid advance would prompt exploration and expansion.

Now I'm sleepy.

Nahhh.

Why simplify it and make the empire understand and use the mounted archer?

How about this, The Roman Empire does more with the advanced technology it had appearntly than make amusements. It used that steam powered do-hicky to make a steam engine and has an industrail revolution. Those primitave batteries they had get more advanced, and that mechanical computer becoms electrical. One of those huge ships they made makes it to the New world. And they succsesfully defend themselvels from the barbarians and stableize their government. Now what?If you're going to start with the invention of steam power, start with the Greeks. They invented and then discarded it.