Holy Questions Batman

Q: 100 Hour Board,


Couple of questions:

1. Since when did Lief turn into a bearded Vin Diesel- even with a Triple X Shield?
2. Since we're on history- please explain how the Phoenician's were able to live in such peace considering the Romans, King David, Alexander the Great, Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites,Nebuchadnezzar etc. were surrounding them?
2b. Why after years of peaceful living with mercenaries doing the fighting did the Phoenicians turn to Carthaginians who were war like and pretty much almost successfully conquered the largest power in the world, namely Rome? Seems like a huge paradigm shift- what happened?


(To be continued)


A: Dear Inquisitive,


Let's slow down on all the questions (since these were 3 of 5 you asked in one shot). I can answer this, so let's take this one step at a time.


1. There are no known pictures of Lief. Or depictions. So who is to say he isn't a buff looking viking? Vin Diesel though is bald. So I don't get the confusion. The Triple X has less to do with Vin being a bad-$%# spy and more to do with viking women. (Have you been to Denmark!) Though there is something wrong with the pictures. Horns. Horns weren't typical for vikings - they get in the way of war.

2. Sounds like you know a lot about Phoenician history. Enough to be dangerous.

Historians have traditionally ignored this people, for a variety of good reasons. The chief of which being the answer to your question. They are the proverbial wusses of history. Ie. they paid their way out of being bullied. But were at least smart enough to make money at the same time. (Otherwise your life as a bully boxing bag is short lived).

The Phoenician empire was a rather loose connection of city-states sharing only a new language and similar financial goals, started roughly around 1500 BC. This amorphous group already suggests a reason for living peacefully. Even if one city were conquered by one of the neighbors, it doesn't mean the end. Which is why they are considered to end in 539, no 332, no 286...ok the last city fell in 65BC to Rome.

But in reality they survived solely by buying off the aggressors. The Israelites (as noted in the Bible) with cedars and gold (and a palace), the Assyrians (a whole lot to them), the Babylonians (ie. Nebuchadnezzar, to limited effect), the Persians, Egyptians, and so on. A lot of milk money spent on keeping bullies away. They tried to bluff sometimes, but generally capitulated.

This could only last so long and eventually the Persians, Alexander the Great, Rome, Egypt and others conquered them.

The city of Carthage did step out of the norm and these Phoenicians tried to be aggressive. They attacked the Greeks in Sicily and Italy in retaliation of raids - and were basically pwned on the battlefield. But later, after the fall of most of Phoenicia, they went on to fight the Punic Wars (think Hannibal and the elephants sacking Rome). Why the difference? Well, several reasons: they watched their brother cities get destroyed, they were the largest city of the empire and a little arrogant, they had the most to loose in controlled colonies.

The real sad part? Carthage should have learned. In peace they prospered. When they grew fat and attacked others, they eventually lost. Until their very city was razed and the earth salted. Hmmm...maybe something to learn there. In a nutshell.

There is an interesting essay about 'what if' and Carthage's aggression here.

Regards,

The Answer King