Favorite Ancient Empire

So yeah, have a favorite empire?

You forgot the most IMPORTANT ONE!!!!

[Zauriel]

Alexander the Great conquered a very, very large chunk of the known world by his 30s.

What's on your CV?

[quote="Whill Shaman Zauriel":3mckhcl6]Alexander the Great conquered a very, very large chunk of the known world by his 30s.

What's on your CV?[/quote:3mckhcl6]
And then he literally partied himself to death.

I've always been a fan of the .

Sumerian Empire has always tickled my fancy just because of their religion and well who doesnt love Annunaki!

[quote="Zingle Morvibells":1wwvzaju]You forgot the most IMPORTANT ONE!!!!

[size=150:1wwvzaju][color=#FFFF00:1wwvzaju][b:1wwvzaju][u:1wwvzaju]THE EGYPTIAN EMPIRE!!![/u:1wwvzaju][/b:1wwvzaju][/color:1wwvzaju][/size:1wwvzaju][/quote:1wwvzaju]

The Egyptians didn't have an "Empire" per se...

[quote="The Smuggler Who Saved Xmas":14xssav3]I've always been a fan of the [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWzmDvhKRUE:14xssav3]Ottoman Empire[/url:14xssav3].[/quote:14xssav3]


mmmmm [url=http://youtu.be/4K9811LaivA:14xssav3]Empires[/url:14xssav3].

Naughty language, fyi. Viewer discretion and all that jazz...

Well in its day the the Sun never set on the British Empire

*sigh* Makes a historian like me weep when people associate the Ottomans and the British with the word "ancient"....

Mongolian Empire.

Invaded what had been a very powerful China, and got all the way to the Atlantic damn near.

Hittites anyone?

The Mongolian Empire:

"The Chinese built the Great Wall to keep Genghis Khan from invading. So, when faced with the impossible task of mounting the wall, Khan chose the only sensible option, he went around it."

I love that documentary, oh so much.

But we must recall: before the British were awesome, the Spanish ruled everything. And then the wind blew the wrong way once and the Britsh clubbed the Spanish Navy in a few hours. Oops.

from some of these responses I gather people have a very different idea of the terms "ancient" and "empire' than I do.

Galactic.

I don't know a whole lot about the ancient empires, but I can say that when it comes to architecture I like Rome.

Of course, I do find some of the earlier not-so-known empires as well, simply because they hold a lot of mystery to them. Like Sumer, Akkad, the Hittites, etc. At the same time I wish we could find out more about them.

Also... I thought Carthage was technically part of the Phoenician Empire? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Maybe I should use the word Civilization instead of Empire, cause I don't really know which one's were true empires. lol

[quote="Bedrovelse Hevn":36r9j09a]Mongolian Empire.

Invaded what had been a very powerful China, and got all the way to the Atlantic damn near.[/quote:36r9j09a]

[quote="Vee Telil":36r9j09a]The Mongolian Empire:

"The Chinese built the Great Wall to keep Genghis Khan from invading. So, when faced with the impossible task of mounting the wall, Khan chose the only sensible option, he went around it."

I love that documentary, oh so much.[/quote:36r9j09a]

These two know what's up. Genghis conquered an empire all the way from the Pacific to the Rhine, and in one lifetime. Alexander is #2 most impressive, going from Greece to the borders of India in the space of a few years. Neither was able to posthumously hold their empire together, of course, but the Golden Horde (Mongols) ruled China and RUSSIA for far longer than any of Alexander's generals managed to hold any sizable chunk of his 'empire.'

Did I mention the part where Genghis Khan conquered Russia? Something that two modern armies (Napoleon and Hitler) attempted and failed miserably? Genghis' lieutenant Subotai received the order and was all "lol, kay," and then went and did it. Like a boss.

Mongols all the way. Only reason they didn't take Europe is because the Great Khan finally got tired of kicking European plate-armored asses and decides to kick a bucket instead - but of course, as with any great badass, he's got a resurrection legend that says he's just recuperating from a wound that one of his many (MANY) concubines inflicted on him. There's also the part where most of the Mongol Empire was related to Genghis by descent because the dude was so damned prolific. Can Alexander say that? Can ANY other conqueror say that?

So yes. Mongols run the world.

[quote="Ornik Vilka":38ttnjl4]These two know what's up. Genghis conquered an empire all the way from the Pacific to the Rhine, and in one lifetime. Alexander is #2 most impressive, going from Greece to the borders of India in the space of a few years. Neither was able to posthumously hold their empire together, of course, but the Golden Horde (Mongols) ruled China and RUSSIA for far longer than any of Alexander's generals managed to hold any sizable chunk of his 'empire.'

Did I mention the part where Genghis Khan conquered Russia? Something that two modern armies (Napoleon and Hitler) attempted and failed miserably? Genghis' lieutenant Subotai received the order and was all "lol, kay," and then went and did it. Like a boss.

Mongols all the way. Only reason they didn't take Europe is because the Great Khan finally got tired of kicking European plate-armored asses and decides to kick a bucket instead - but of course, as with any great badass, he's got a resurrection legend that says he's just recuperating from a wound that one of his many (MANY) concubines inflicted on him. There's also the part where most of the Mongol Empire was related to Genghis by descent because the dude was so damned prolific. Can Alexander say that? Can ANY other conqueror say that?

So yes. Mongols run the world.[/quote:38ttnjl4]
Just like to say, this is a boss post. That is all. Respect for the Mongolian Empire.

Mongolians. Definitely.

Here's another ancient culture that hasn't been mentioned: the Phoenicians. Not an empire per se, but they went *everywhere*. They probably circumnavigated the world, a feat that wasn't repeated for millenia.

I don't like the Mongolian Empire, but who ever did? I respect them the most...out of fear. But my favorite Empire would have to be the Greek Empire. Famously known for the story of the 300, , skilled warriors trained from birth. Great strategists and they work as a unit. The movie isn't accurate but the story is still very impressive IF the story is true, i can't imagine what an entire Greek army led by Spartans could do if they decided to lay siege on the world. And that 'IF' is one big if...its a hard story to believe