An Age of Miracles Continues: The Empire of Rhomania

[minifidel]

RogueTraderEnthusiast: Another item I forgot to mention is that New World foodstuffs are finally arriving in the Empire in force. Given that much of Anatolia and Greece is mountainous, potatoes are a huge boon.

I'm curious about the impact South American stimulant beverages (coca tea and yerba mate) on Rome, especially since Syria and Lebanon are the few places IRL where yerba mate in particular is growing in popularity (stunted since the outbreak of the war).

Potatoes?i wonder if the romans try to add sugar in them

They might add sugar to maize first, which will arrive in the Empire alongside the potato.

 

[Evilprodigy]

What would the demographic effects of the potato be ? I know in many Northern European countries the potato nearly doubled the agricultural productivity.

@King Nazar

 

[King Nazar]

What would the demographic effects of the potato be ? I know in many Northern European countries the potato nearly doubled the agricultural productivity.

You are correct. More agricultural productivity is great for urbanization since cities can support more people. Be careful about monocultures though, that's how the Irish Famine happened.

 

[HanEmpire]

Environmental damage is an issue too. Availability of hardy crops means lands that used to be left alone for being marginal will be cultivated, which in turn means the native vegetation (ie. trees) will be wiped out to make room. Since most marginal lands are the hilly areas at the top of the watersheds, it can have pretty big knock-on effects. When deforestation of the uplands gets widespread it leads to fun things like increased soil erosion (landslides), increased water flow (flash floods), leaching of the soil (crop failures, wasteland), etc.

The Empire has pretty stringent rules about forest management so it shouldn't be too bad, but the government doesn't have eyes everywhere and laws can be repealed. What's really needed is for forestry and agriculture to be banned near running water.

 

[ImperatorAlexander]

Looks like Ibrahim's army will be to suffer from some starvation and attrition soon, maybe it'll force him to press for a decisive battle whilst he still has the advantage? Maybe into a very unfavourable engagement?

Odysseus has the makings of a great commander. Quick, sharp and has the ability to effectively visualise the terrain and battlefield. Alexandros Drakos on the other hand, while is very brave doesn't seem to be particularly bright, a great soldier but an unimaginative commander.

 

[floppy_seal99]

Environmental damage is an issue too. Availability of hardy crops means lands that used to be left alone for being marginal will be cultivated, which in turn means the native vegetation (ie. trees) will be wiped out to make room. Since most marginal lands are the hilly areas at the top of the watersheds, it can have pretty big knock-on effects. When deforestation of the uplands gets widespread it leads to fun things like increased soil erosion (landslides), increased water flow (flash floods), leaching of the soil (crop failures, wasteland), etc.

The Empire has pretty stringent rules about forest management so it shouldn't be too bad, but the government doesn't have eyes everywhere and laws can be repealed. What's really needed is for forestry and agriculture to be banned near running water.

This makes sense--even from a non-tree hugging standpoint and even if environmental stewardship isn't such an important issue for some of us, it's important to recognize that leaving large amounts of well-regulated wild lands is vital as well to prevent famine (and possibly for finding wild medicines and stuff). When crops fail, where do you turn?

 

[Evilprodigy]

Environmental damage is an issue too. Availability of hardy crops means lands that used to be left alone for being marginal will be cultivated, which in turn means the native vegetation (ie. trees) will be wiped out to make room. Since most marginal lands are the hilly areas at the top of the watersheds, it can have pretty big knock-on effects. When deforestation of the uplands gets widespread it leads to fun things like increased soil erosion (landslides), increased water flow (flash floods), leaching of the soil (crop failures, wasteland), etc.

The Empire has pretty stringent rules about forest management so it shouldn't be too bad, but the government doesn't have eyes everywhere and laws can be repealed. What's really needed is for forestry and agriculture to be banned near running water.

Anatolia in Syria have been relatively DeForested since the Bronze Age. And even if the lumber hadn't already been shot down long ago bye overzealous Naval powers such as the Phoenicians and the Greeks, significant amounts of herd animals introduced and maintained by Arabs Persians Mongols and Turks pushed back the tree cover significantly in these regions. All that the introduction of new crops will do is replace the shepherd with the potato farmer.

 

[Duke of Nova Scotia]

Potatoes?i wonder if the romans try to add sugar in them

Acadiens already did.

 

[Babyrage]

Just out of curiousity what has Elizabeth been up to since she returned to Germany? She's obviously still fuming but are there any plans to re-marry her? Since Theodor plans on crowning himself if he's victorious.

 

[Stark]

Nice to see some good news for Romans, especially in East Indies/Asia.

 

[emperor joe]

Acadiens already did.

I did not expect the french to do it

 

[HanEmpire]

How popular is Ethiopian cuisine in the Empire and vice versa, @Basileus444? I'm interested in how, say, the injera flatbread will mesh with Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

 

[Duke of Nova Scotia]

I did not expect the french to do it

If you can think of it, the Acdiens have done it to/with potatoes. Rappre pie, and Fricot is a journey down a culinary rabbit hole few return.

 

[Ain]

I have a nagging fear that a lot of good generals are going to die during this war and incompetent ones will somehow survive.

Of course, they'll be punished too, but still.

My biggest fear is that Odysseus will get unlucky one time and that'll be it.

 

[MarshalofMontival]

I have a nagging fear that a lot of good generals are going to die during this war and incompetent ones will somehow survive.

Of course, they'll be punished too, but still.

My biggest fear is that Odysseus will get unlucky one time and that'll be it.

Unfortunately, combat is no respecter of persons, especially once gunpowder gets involved. Doesn't matter how good you are if a random musket or cannon ball happens to go through your personal space.

 

[Donald Reaver]

Unfortunately, combat is no respecter of persons, especially once gunpowder gets involved. Doesn't matter how good you are if a random musket or cannon ball happens to go through your personal space.

War is not politically correct obviously when it invades my personal space.

 

[JohnSmith]

The shot that struck him punctured his plate cuirass, which slowed the bullet, which then buried itself in the copy of Arrian’s Anabasis of Alexander Odysseus carried in his breast pocket.

With all this Alexander foreshadowing with Odysseus I'm going to be very disappointed if he doesn't at least sack Baghdad on his great Persian adventure.

 

[GodEmperorG]

Hmm, assuming that the Romans succeed in helping that Javanese chap crush the Sultanate on the coast of their island, we might see a Hindu majority Java in the future. That might have some very interesting implications later on; speaking of which, how is Indonesia divided so far between the Roman, Triunes, Spaniards? Cause I seem to be noticing a pattern of Triune's being allied with Muslims all over the place, might lead to some awkward commentary back in Europe about that.

 

[Wolttaire]

Hmm, assuming that the Romans succeed in helping that Javanese chap crush the Sultanate on the coast of their island, we might see a Hindu majority Java in the future. That might have some very interesting implications later on; speaking of which, how is Indonesia divided so far between the Roman, Triunes, Spaniards? Cause I seem to be noticing a pattern of Triune's being allied with Muslims all over the place, might lead to some awkward commentary back in Europe about that.

It would be fun too see the rise of a another majpaity and if they are destroyed a Hindu and Buddhist Indonesia/ Christian one too

 

[HanEmpire]

Could the Romans punch through to Mesopotamia again this war, Time of Troubles style? If Ibrahim's army gets cut off and broken, the Ottomans won't have enough time to muster up new field armies at the front to stop border incursions. I don't know how their logistics arms will look with the Anizzah so weakened, but Napoleon-style local forage is an option.

What's the current season in the war @Basileus444? Summer? Autumn?

Also what's the state of Baghdad these days?