this post was submitted on 26 Apr 2024
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Roman and British empires look down at current day USA.
"Pathetic"
In terms of territory annexed maybe, but in terms of direct cultural reach the US has far outstripped both.
We're going to be seeing the aftershocks of the US' contribution to global culture and media long after the bones of the last American have become an archeologist's study project
Well yeah of course.
A world power influences others to copy them, during the Roman Empire they were the most influential and had the greatest cultural reach, same with the British.
As time goes by and technology allows for greater interconnectivity and a countries ability to influence others increases. Chances are the next world power will continue this trend and take over with their culture.
Actually not really, during the Roman Empire China was the cultural hegemon
In fact so much so that stoicism sprung up because Roman aristocrats were big mad at how much money was going into buying Chinese silk. Shit Rome wasn't even the cultural hegemon of Rome, Greece was, and then Christendom became the hegemon.
As for the British Empire, I'd argue that France was actually the cultural hegemon at that time, or at least punching even with others.
Interesting, I wouldn't have thought the Romans were that influenced by the Chinese empire, I knew of the silk road and the cost of silk. But my understanding was the middle men between both nations jacking up the price combined with the long distance materials needed to travel.
That said I agree that a large proportion of Roman culture was influenced by the Greeks, but couldn't the same thing be said (to a much lesser extent of course) of the US and the British; Both countries have a shared history, a common language, an overlap in religious beliefs and legal principles.
My point being each empire builds off the previous one and with advancement in technologies and the reduction in degrees of separation, the ability to propagate an empire's culture increases. America is hugely influential, but a part of that is they are the current world power in a world with the internet, being able to travel anywhere in the world in less than a day and most people being able to speak English.
This is not an attempt to undermine America's achievements, they are a world power for a reason, but it's my belief that powers following their fall will overtake them in cultural influence.
Would love to read your reply, personally love a good discussion about random shit like this.
We totally divorced ourselves from England! You don't see a copy of The Magna Carta sitting around the Smithsonian do you‽‽‽
/s