4 ms·

Could also happen that all the advances in hygiene and infrastructure and logistics during the Roman empire had a more positive impact on IQ than the negative e

by vasco 2y ago

Could also happen that all the advances in hygiene and infrastructure and logistics during the Roman empire had a more positive impact on IQ than the negative effect of lead. Not starving while growing up does wonders for the brain.

bell-cot 2y ago
Plenty of people starved...just not (in their better centuries) the better-off Romans. For (presumed) IQ benefits, I'd focus more on the hygiene, and the relatively disease-free drinking water which all those lead pipes & lead-lined aqueducts provided. (Plus the sewers.) There were lots of nasty diseases you could catch by drinking the water in ancient cities. And at scale, "lead lowered IQ" isn't much different to "unable to think well while ill", to "higher mortality makes education a poorer investment".
- panick21_ 2y ago
  That a very reductive view. Data shows that during the Roman empire, people moved on mass from hill forts into the flatlands (presumably giving better acess to agroculture, trade and water). We also see far more material culture, and not just for rich people. Huge amount of just common consumer goods, and this even streches far beyond the borders of the empire itself. Population also increased during this time.
  - mistrial9 2y ago
    > Population also increased during this time you mean after the slaughters?
    - panick21_ 2y ago
      Yes, many places part of the empire for 100s, sometimes even 1000 years. And conquest is of course always bad. But that wasn't the point you were making. You were talking as if there was constant large scale starvation in Rome, and there for the most part wasn't. You point that only rich Roman elites didn't regularly starve isn't really true. And its certainty not true in comparison to other places in the ancient world.
biggoodwolf 2y ago
What did the Romans ever do for us?
- BSDobelix 2y ago
  I dont know who "us" is, but probably roads and writing?
  - 52-6F-62 2y ago
    Those aren't roman inventions…
    - svrtknst 2y ago
      Roman-built roads and the spread of Latin were tremendously important. Noone said they were invented by them.
      - 52-6F-62 2y ago
        Yes they did… they edited their comment after I responded and could no longer edit mine. You just looking for an argument? Its important people know writing and roads weren’t invented by the romans. They are given way too much credit by Americans with imperial ambitions.
  - _philemon 2y ago
    I think reference is in order... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7HmhrgTuQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7HmhrgTuQ
    - BSDobelix 2y ago
      Ohhh, haha thanks, now it makes sense who "us" is ;)
  - MonkeyIsNull 2y ago
    Well obviously the roads, the roads go without saying, don't they?
kragen 2y ago
Probably not in the parts of Europe outside the Roman Empire and definitely not in the peoples that the Romans killed all of.

by vasco 2y ago

bell-cot 2y ago

Plenty of people starved...just not (in their better centuries) the better-off Romans. For (presumed) IQ benefits, I'd focus more on the hygiene, and the relatively disease-free drinking water which all those lead pipes & lead-lined aqueducts provided. (Plus the sewers.) There were lots of nasty diseases you could catch by drinking the water in ancient cities. And at scale, "lead lowered IQ" isn't much different to "unable to think well while ill", to "higher mortality makes education a poorer investment".

panick21_ 2y ago
That a very reductive view. Data shows that during the Roman empire, people moved on mass from hill forts into the flatlands (presumably giving better acess to agroculture, trade and water). We also see far more material culture, and not just for rich people. Huge amount of just common consumer goods, and this even streches far beyond the borders of the empire itself. Population also increased during this time.
- mistrial9 2y ago
  > Population also increased during this time you mean after the slaughters?
  - panick21_ 2y ago
    Yes, many places part of the empire for 100s, sometimes even 1000 years. And conquest is of course always bad. But that wasn't the point you were making. You were talking as if there was constant large scale starvation in Rome, and there for the most part wasn't. You point that only rich Roman elites didn't regularly starve isn't really true. And its certainty not true in comparison to other places in the ancient world.

biggoodwolf 2y ago

What did the Romans ever do for us?

BSDobelix 2y ago
I dont know who "us" is, but probably roads and writing?
- 52-6F-62 2y ago
  Those aren't roman inventions…
  - svrtknst 2y ago
    Roman-built roads and the spread of Latin were tremendously important. Noone said they were invented by them.
    - 52-6F-62 2y ago
      Yes they did… they edited their comment after I responded and could no longer edit mine. You just looking for an argument? Its important people know writing and roads weren’t invented by the romans. They are given way too much credit by Americans with imperial ambitions.
- _philemon 2y ago
  I think reference is in order... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7HmhrgTuQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7HmhrgTuQ
  - BSDobelix 2y ago
    Ohhh, haha thanks, now it makes sense who "us" is ;)
- MonkeyIsNull 2y ago
  Well obviously the roads, the roads go without saying, don't they?

kragen 2y ago

Probably not in the parts of Europe outside the Roman Empire and definitely not in the peoples that the Romans killed all of.