Rome Never Fell

[Hijiri Byakuren]

When the Western Roman Empire fell, the Eastern Roman Empire carried on from its capital in Constantinople. Constantinople was beseiged by the Ottomans under Mehmed II, himself a descendant of the ERE's imperial line, and who proceeded to crown himself the Caesar of Constantinople and rule what he thought of as the Islamic continuation of the Romans; a "Roma Islamica" if you will. After the First World War, the Empire was broken up and reduced to its sole recognized successor-state, which means the modern successor-state to the Roman Empire is...

[spoiler]
GOBBLE GOBBLE, MOTHERFUCKER.[/spoiler]

[jonb]

Russia!
When Constantinople fell on a Tuesday in may 1453 the leaders of the empire became the Russian aristocracy.
The orthodox church which was the religion of the empire passed the leading position from Constantinople to Moscow. The Russian Aristocracy was very intermarried with that of Constantinople. The Tzars could claim with some authenticity that their bloodlines could be traced back to the Caesars.
So when the Last Roman Emperor Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos died defending the walls of Constantinople the next in line would be the Tzar of all the Russias.
And it might surprise many in the west but Russia still sees itself as the inheritor of the Roman Empire.
In Russian foreign policy at least since the seventeenth century the recapture from the Turks of Istanbul has been a consistent objective. As has the policy to stop this from happening has been the objective of all other Europeans so that Europe does not get encircled by Russia.
One of the strong reasons why Russia is such a strong supporter of Syria (or rather Syrian governments) is that Syria's position on the south east boarder of Turkey makes Syria an invaluable ally in that long term objective.

It is not surprising that most people in the west do not know this bit of history because as it undermines the Popes authority and the Catholic position as being descendants of Rome, it has not been taught. 

[josephpalazzo]

If you'd ask the Romans of today, they couldn't care less.

[jonb]

I don't think many people care about history, I don't think societies care that much about history, sort of cultural alzheimers.

If you don't know from where you came, then you don't know where you are, or where you are going.

[aitm]

If you don't know from where you came, then you don't know where you are, or where you are going.

Oh stop that….millions of adopted peeps never knew the truth about where they came from, they got along just fine.

[jonb]

http://www.quora.com/Should-you-tell-your-adopted-child-that-he-she-is-adopted

You were saying?

[Hijiri Byakuren]

Russia!
When Constantinople fell on a Tuesday in may 1453 the leaders of the empire became the Russian aristocracy.
The orthodox church which was the religion of the empire passed the leading position from Constantinople to Moscow. The Russian Aristocracy was very intermarried with that of Constantinople. The Tzars could claim with some authenticity that their bloodlines could be traced back to the Caesars.
So when the Last Roman Emperor Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos died defending the walls of Constantinople the next in line would be the Tzar of all the Russias.
And it might surprise many in the west but Russia still sees itself as the inheritor of the Roman Empire.
In Russian foreign policy at least since the seventeenth century the recapture from the Turks of Istanbul has been a consistent objective. As has the policy to stop this from happening has been the objective of all other Europeans so that Europe does not get encircled by Russia.
One of the strong reasons why Russia is such a strong supporter of Syria (or rather Syrian governments) is that Syria's position on the south east boarder of Turkey makes Syria an invaluable ally in that long term objective.

It is not surprising that most people in the west do not know this bit of history because as it undermines the Popes authority and the Catholic position as being descendants of Rome, it has not been taught. 

I actually do know this, but I like my joke better.

[jonb]

Isn't a reality that produces this-



even a little bit funny?

[stromboli]

Y'all be russian in and putin down the turks?

[jonb]

https://youtu.be/L53FBi5rH2w

[aitm]

http://www.quora.com/Should-you-tell-your-adopted-child-that-he-she-is-adopted

You were saying?

so what….bunch of 20th century pussies…. for millennias children have been left orphaned by disease, war, natural disaster,( not to even approach capture and slavery to who-knows-where) they were picked up strangers moved to strange lands,,,yada yada,, humanity moved on.

This whole " I gotta know who I am" is a side note on the testicles of "woo" in that "there MUST be something special about me",,,"if only I could find out my roots"…..meh

[jonb]

Bacteria is a very successful life form, it has no need for science or enquiry.
You can if you wish follow that example and choose not to think about how things have come about.

I'm not stopping you, it's your choice you seem happy where you are.

[Hydra009]

Oh stop that….millions of adopted peeps never knew the truth about where they came from, they got along just fine.

[jonb]

Nice bit of circularity.

[peacewithoutgod]

so what….bunch of 20th century pussies…. for millennias children have been left orphaned by disease, war, natural disaster,( not to even approach capture and slavery to who-knows-where) they were picked up strangers moved to strange lands,,,yada yada,, humanity moved on.

This whole " I gotta know who I am" is a side note on the testicles of "woo" in that "there MUST be something special about me",,,"if only I could find out my roots"…..meh

Yeah, what's the point in knowing if your parents suffered from alzheimer's, schizoprenia, cancer, or heart disease?  What's the point in knowing that they were concert pianists or brilliant painters when nobody ever thought to give you a paintbrush, or a musical instrument?