What If The Romans Had Aircraft?

[DECIMvS MERCATIvS VARIANvS]

[size=150:1hdutglx]A[/size]nyway, it'd be trains! If they had trains, the Romans would have been able to maintain their empire. As it was, they just didn't have the communications to sustain such a huge area.

And if it has to be a plane, well... I'd say more likely a red Stuka! W/ golden, feather-painted wings... and Hell, it'd have a proper ancient insignia on the tail anyway ;-Þ
Marsh

[A_Volpe]

Wow! Thanks for the huge response!

Yeah, I think Romans would have been "on board" for trains.

But I was hoping more for ideas on aircraft.

Yes, I am relieved Barnes Airfield (BAF) in Westfield MA (next door to my Alma Mater) was "spared" of getting cut by the Rummy Hack'n'Slash campaign...But I'm also quite upset that Otis AFB is on the list.


(funny how the military gets the largest budget yet and they need to shut down bases to "save money", which is to spend on "recruiting"? But I digress) :x

[marsvigilia]

[size=150:32vaz0hv]U[/size]hhh wait a sec, you live in ole Virginny, can we say "beltway." In many ways, far more horrifying than any California freeway... ;-0
DMV

True, but I spent most of my life in Southern California so I am more familiar with it. Also, face it, California is known world wide for gridlocked freeways and excessive independence. Washington DC is known world wide for gridlocked government and excessive bureaucracy. One must choose ones examples to conform to stereotypical conceptions.

[A_Volpe]

And in Worcester, MA ("Woosta") as well as most of MA, "We Couldn't Direct You Out Of A 3-Sided Box...And we'll make you pay for months of construction only to go "Oops" and have to do it all over again...For twice the money"

[marsvigilia]

[size=150:12jmut19]A[/size]nyway, it'd be trains! If they had trains, the Romans would have been able to maintain their empire. As it was, they just didn't have the communications to sustain such a huge area.
Marsh

This really is a long standing belief of mine. Trains alone would have saved the empire. And allowed a bit of expansion as well. And with gun powder...
Ahhh... I have this mental image of Roman legionaries on an armored train confronting the huns: "Oh look at the funny little man on the horsey. Isn't he cute." "Oh shut up and shoot him."

Related questions: Could Rome have swallowed China? How far could they have gone? Would the end have been the same?

[DECIMvS MERCATIvS VARIANvS]

Yes, I am relieved Barnes Airfield (BAF) in Westfield MA (next door to my Alma Mater) was "spared" of getting cut by the Rummy Hack'n'Slash campaign...But I'm also quite upset that Otis AFB is on the list.


(funny how the military gets the largest budget yet and they need to shut down bases to "save money", which is to spend on "recruiting"? But I digress) :x

[size=150:ny2zbudq]Y[/size]ou aren't alone... why not just cut waste in government, kill pork projects and stop hosing our service people ;-( I am, as you might guess, not a fan of "Reichsmarschall Rumsfeldt" ;-Þ We have a severe lack of common sense in government... anyway, I'll stop before Jasper sends the RAT Punishment Team after ME for talking about politics...
Marsh

[Praefectusclassis]

Good to see you're applying self-censorship here :wink:

[marsvigilia]

(Jasper: Since I'm going to be discussing Roman history I think it's OK. Please advise.)

Carthago Delenda Est.

1. Carthage started a war with Rome.
2. Carthage lost.
3. A treaty was signed between Rome and Carthage ending the war.
4. Carthage was perceived as a growing threat.
5. Carthage violated the terms of the cease fire / peace treaty.
6. Rome destroyed Carthage.
7. Subsequently, Carthage never invaded, attacked, nor even annoyed Rome again.

Sounds to me like the Romans knew how to handle these issues pretty effectively.

[Tarbicus]

1. Carthage started a war with Rome.

No. Sicily asked Rome to help them in a treaty dispute with Carthage. Rome then declared war.

2. Carthage lost.

After 2 decades of wr that nearly brought Rome to its knees.

3. A treaty was signed between Rome and Carthage ending the war.

Where Carthage cannot go near Sicily again.

4. Carthage was perceived as a growing threat.

Yup.

5. Carthage violated the terms of the cease fire / peace treaty.

No. Hannibal went over the Alps from Spain, completely bypassing Sicily.

6. Rome destroyed Carthage.

Well, this misses out the bit where, after Rome being nearly destroyed, and Italy being invaded and almost occupied for over a decade, Hannibal withdrew. Then, the Romans voted to bring CArthage to an end. Even many Romans thought this was going too far. So, Rome ordered the Carthaginians to abandon their own city. Hmmmm. Guess what. The Carthaginians said "No thanks." thus were provoked into breaking a treaty.

7. Subsequently, Carthage never invaded, attacked, nor even annoyed Rome again.

True. What happened to the people of Carthage afterwards?

[Octavianvs]

True. What happened to the people of Carthage afterwards?[/quote]

I believe they opened a shop on the east end :wink:

actually if memory serves me right I believe that whoever wasnt killed was sold into slavery though I am sure some escaped into north afrika. But i believe this was only the people in carthage proper not the whole empire. whatever was left was absorbed into the roman empire but for all intents and purposes Carthage city was totally destroyed and salt sown into the ground. I believe Rome built another city in its place later on.

[marsvigilia]

1. Carthage started a war with Rome.

No. Sicily asked Rome to help them in a treaty dispute with Carthage. Rome then declared war.

You are describing the first Punic War.
I was describing the Second Punic War, where Hanibal attacked.
Sorry I was non-specific.

[A_Volpe]

What does Carthage have to do with fantasizing what Rome would have for military aircraft??

:wink:

[marsvigilia]

Well they could have bombed Carthage.

[Octavianvs]

Ok how about a flight of heavy bombers droping moabs. followed up by smaller bombers and fighter bombers to take out the remains while having ac 130s on station to heard the enemy back to the kill zone. then send in the legionaries by train to finish them off. or they could be preceeded by para legionaries.


and we could make it a jerry bruckheimer film too and use fire bombs

[marsvigilia]

Now we're talking. ;-) )