What Part of History Are You Drawn To?

[ll74]

I was thinking earlier today. There has always been a particular point of history and area I have been more interested in.

The Russian revolution.

I've never fully understood why....the czars and historical break with the norm of Europe...the intertwining with world politics. The rise of communism. It all has interested me more than other parts of history.

It's why I took Russian in high school. And it's why I've always found the Baltic states struggles interesting as well.

What part of history and region is your focal point?

 

[ll74]

I'd appreciate (but do not expect) an open minded discussion. I have my theories of what period and region of politics that many here are drawn to, but I expect to be surprised.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

I was thinking earlier today. There has always been a particular point of history and area I have been more interested in.

The Russian revolution.

I've never fully understood why....the czars and historical break with the norm of Europe...the intertwining with world politics. The rise of communism. It all has interested me more than other parts of history.

It's why I took Russian in high school. And it's why I've always found the Baltic states struggles interesting as well.

What part of history and region is your focal point?

I adore the Byzantine Empire. So many great characters--Anna Komnene, Robert Guiscard, Zoe Karbonopsina, Justinian & Theodora. And poor Heraclius!

 

[ll74]

I adore the Byzantine Empire. So many great characters--Anna Komnene, Robert Guiscard, Zoe Karbonopsina, Justinian & Theodora. And poor Heraclius!

Probably the era/region I know the least about. Sounds intriguing

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

I just realized there's a second era/region I obsess over--the Sengoku period in Japan. I have such a crush on Date Masamune! And Takeda Shingen defending himself with only his fan from Uesugi Kenshin ! Swoon

Oda Nobunaga was an asshole though. A genius, but an asshole.

 

[OlderFitterWiser]

Middle Ages France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales.

 

[ll74]

Middle Ages France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales.

My ancestors are from Scotland, so the history of my family points that way. Not as much of a pull, but interests me.

I'm a descendant of Rob Roy.....which already adds a bit of interesting history there.

 

[butters]

i had to stop and think about this one for a while... history, per se, interests me...but perhaps more the history of the planet as a whole, evolution, dinosaurs, the changing of the land masses, ice ages and so on.

from a purely human perspective on history, i know more about the first and second World Wars (British history) and that really doesn't amount to anything in-depth beyond the bombings of Britain in WWII...purely because of where I lived and it being within living memory; we also covered the basics of various kings through the millennia and how often Britain was host to Romans, Vikings, Saxons and Celts who settled. Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth the first were also the main subjects of our 'History' lessons in school, supplemented by a whole lot of films, documentaries, plays and books. And, of course, the plagues.. let's not forget the plagues, or the Egyptians!

so beyond all that, I kind of prefer reading or hearing about the dark ages, and the effects on civilisations of natural disasters such as earthquakes/floods/famines etc.. and how it shaped the development of whole regions.

 

[OlderFitterWiser]

Good, we like rebels against the crown

 

[ll74]

i had to stop and think about this one for a while... history, per se, interests me...but perhaps more the history of the planet as a whole, evolution, dinosaurs, the changing of the land masses, ice ages and so on.

from a purely human perspective on history, i know more about the first and second World Wars (British history) and that really doesn't amount to anything in-depth beyond the bombings of Britain in WWII...purely because of where I lived and it being within living memory; we also covered the basics of various kings through the millennia and how often Britain was host to Romans, Vikings, Saxons and Celts who settled. Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth the first were also the main subjects of our 'History' lessons in school, supplemented by a whole lot of films, documentaries, plays and books. And, of course, the plagues.. let's not forget the plagues, or the Egyptians!

so beyond all that, I kind of prefer reading or hearing about the dark ages, and the effects on civilisations of natural disasters such as earthquakes/floods/famines etc.. and how it shaped the development of whole regions.

I think most people are drawn to a region and a time that they can't get enough information on. It's not a conscious decision but when a show comes on that focuses on the area, you are locked in.

It sounds like the monarchy is a pull and possibly Egyptian dominance time period.

 

[ll74]

Good, we like rebels against the crown

People confused my name with Irish ancestry. I remind them that I'm Scottish, but we've all been screwed by the English. (Which applies to a large number of peeps)

 

[OlderFitterWiser]

The classic bad neighbours

 

[butters]

i'm less interested in monarchy now since i've seen so much of it, to be honest. i rather think Americans are more into that than brits as a rule, since America is still, by comparison, such a young country and with its own very important history regarding breaking free of British rule...even as it enjoys watching the pomp and circumstance for brits, it's like thousands of years of kings and queens, half or more of the inter-related and foreigners but sharing bloodlines. cousin-fuckers.

i guess, really, i'm just a non-picky gleaner of historical facts over fantasy that doesn't set strict borders between human and non-human history!

 

[SexyVita]

I'm particularly drawn to a week ago last Thursday.

OK, sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Seriously though, the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incan civilizations hold a real fascination for me.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

I just realized there's a second era/region I obsess over--the Sengoku period in Japan. I have such a crush on Date Masamune! And Takeda Shingen defending himself with only his fan from Uesugi Kenshin ! Swoon

Oda Nobunaga was an asshole though. A genius, but an asshole.

The Sengoku period was mad, but the Tokugawa era...ooooof.

They laid down a structure that eliminated fiefdoms and locked down an entire island nation top to bottom for 200 plus years while keeping the rest of the world out (except for one port of call reserved for the Dutch.) Somehow, one specific clan family did an impossible one-shot. It couldn't last forever and they kept it up through a lot of Game Of Thrones maneuvering, but it totally made that country what it is.

I'm torn by my admiration of that era of Japan because it was horribly brutal and did a lot of out-of-line shit, but they also got things done. Like, the gridlocking bullshit we do with ourselves in government today, it just wouldn't stand. If the Shogun told somebody to fix a broken bridge because he was going to walk over it to look at some flowers on the other side, there were people out fixing that shit immediately.

 

[Jeb56]

1700s, Age of Enlightenment

 

[ll74]

I'm particularly drawn to a week ago last Thursday.

OK, sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Seriously though, the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incan civilizations hold a real fascination for me.

Well played

That whole period is like a black box...movie makers use it to suggest that region had access to tech beyond their years.

 

[SexyVita]

Well played

That whole period is like a black box...movie makers use it to suggest that region had access to tech beyond their years.

Well, yes. That is part of the fascination, the fact that we really know so little about it. The Spanish and the Church basically obliterated their cultures.

 

[SexyVita]

Well played

That whole period is like a black box...movie makers use it to suggest that region had access to tech beyond their years.

However, I like the idea of the culture without "Ancient Aliens". Also for what it might have been or might have become if left alone.

 

[jomar]

My ancestors are from Scotland, so the history of my family points that way. Not as much of a pull, but interests me.

I'm a descendant of Rob Roy.....which already adds a bit of interesting history there.

LOL, small world cuz, me too!

 

[ll74]

LOL, small world cuz, me too!

Very cool. Now I know your last name could be any one of a hundred different ones...lol. (likely not Campbell, though)

 

[domroger]

This a hard one as I am interested in all history.
But if forced to choose it would be the Golden Years of Piracy,the late 17 th and early !8 th centuries.
Family legend says were descended from Blackbeard,but I take that with a pinch of salt,although as far back as I can trace (1750's) there have always been seamen in the family.

 

[RandyRebecca]

1917, the Russian Revolution, the years before it and the years following it, is also my favorite historical subject.

Our own revolutions in America too, from the War of Independence to the Civil War, all of which expose the lies of the hysterical anti-socialist right-wing types in this country. The first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, was regularly in writing correspondence with Karl Marx during the Civil War, and Marx was clearly urging Lincoln not just to oppose slavery's expansion westwards but to oppose and abolish slavery altogether.

And there's the French Revolution from 1789-1794, and then the Napoleonic period (1799-1815). Maximilien Robespierre's Reign of Terror (1793-94) against the super rich aristocrats is a particular highlight.

 

[jomar]

Very cool. Now I know your last name could be any one of a hundred different ones...lol. (likely not Campbell, though)

Yeah it was on my mother’s side to further muddy the waters

 

[ll74]

Yeah it was on my mother’s side to further muddy the waters

A lot of interesting history in our family.