Greatest Empire ever

[nihil]

Hey dalek my friend,

We still have the argument of who discovered North America first, was it in fact Eric the red or John Cabot

Are we talking about that part of North America responsible for the "Northern War of Economic Agression?"...............

I am sure that the Vikings discovered it at an early stage.............but being a civilised people they kept it quiet

On a serious note, the Vikings did colonise in the sense of trading posts and local colonies. They mostly used timber (lumber) in their structures, so there are fewer remains than the Romans left.

What are you saying? I played Civilization, I know how things are. Don't try to fool me.

Hah! my 122,000 ton thermonuclear powered attack carriers are coming to have a word with you

The Vikings would not fit in either category...they were not expansionist, and their culture was not adopted by or consumed by other Nations.

Actually, they were colonialist rather than expansionist, and they did export cultural traits, albeit not deliberately. Old farmers over here still count sheep and cattle in the Norse language.

I also must apologise............I left the Dutch out of the imperial nations list.

[dalek]

but being a civilised people they kept it quiet

Lol, this explains why Columbus when he ran into one of those caribbean islands thought he had discovered the far East???

[Evil Moo]

Hrm, this thread seems alittle premature. How about you wait for two more decades and get back to this topic once I'm finished, ok? Mua ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[MURACU]

You guys are all worng it was st Brendan who dicovered america. But like Eric he had the sense to keep it quiet.
brendan voyage

Historians relate that Brendan was born about 484 A.D. near Tralee in County Kerry. He was ordained by Bishop Erc and sailed about northwest Europe spreading the Christian faith and founding monasteries, the largest at Clonfert, County Galway, where he was buried in 577 A.D. at the age of 93.

The account of Brendan’s voyage contained a detailed description of the construction of his boat which was not unlike the currachs still made in County Kerry today. Skeptics could not accept that such a fragile vessel could possibly sail in the open sea. Several passages in the legend also seemed incredible—they were “raised up on the back of sea monsters”, they “passed by crystals that rose up to the sky”, and were “pelted with flaming, foul smelling rocks by the inhabitants of a large island on their route”. They finally arrived at the beautiful land they called “Promised Land of the Saints.” They explored until they came to a great river that divided the land. The journey of Brendan and his fellow monks took seven years. The return trip was probably the longest part of the odyssey.

In 1976, Tim Severin, a British navigation scholar embarked from Brandon Creek on the Dingle peninsula in a carrach that he constructed using the details described by Brendan. His goal was to determine if the voyage of Brendan and his fellow monks was possible. They tanned ox-hides with oak bark, stretched them across the wood frame, sewed them with leather thread and smeared the hides with animal fat which would impart water resistance. Examination of nautical charts led Severin to believe that Brendan’s route would be governed by the prevailing winds that would take him across the northernmost part of the Atlantic. This would take him close to Iceland and Greenland with a probable landfall at Newfoundland (St. Brendan’s Isle). This would be the route that Leif Erickson would have taken in the tenth century. Many of Brendan’s stops on his journey were islands where Irish monks had set up primitive monasteries. Norsemen that traveled on these waters visited these islands and recorded their meeting with “Papers” (fathers).

[bballad]

I think the chinese have a hat to throw into the who found america race as well. Let us also not ignore the tabaco leafes found in egyptian graves. But lets face it siberian hunter gathererers had them all beat by thousands of years. and depending on whos evidence you beleive the polynisisans may have had them beat.

[RoadClosed]

Irish discovering America?

Come on now! We all know it was the Mormans.

Nihil, York is on my list of cities. Never made it. It's a shame they took such a great historical city and to made it into something like "New York"

Muracu... me and the soon to be misus have decided if we win the American Powerball lottery of $360,000,000 US - as it currently stands... we are going to move to Ireland and buy a pub. AO members will drink for free.

[morganlefay]

Cool

I always wanted to visit Ireland..

Now I have a good reason...

Hope you win


MLF

[dalek]

Muracu... me and the soon to be misus have decided if we win the American Powerball lottery of $360,000,000 US - as it currently stands... we are going to move to Ireland and buy a pub. AO members will drink for free.

Sheesh with that much you can buy Ireland, jk Muracu.....

they were “raised up on the back of sea monsters”, they “passed by crystals that rose up to the sky”, and were “pelted with flaming, foul smelling rocks by the inhabitants of a large island on their route”.

...yep, sure sounds like they met the Newfies in their travels......prolly thought they were their arch enemy the "Capers".....

[RoadClosed]

Sheesh with that much you can buy Ireland

OK you can stay for free too.

[dalek]

Originally posted here by RoadClosed
OK you can stay for free too.

Whooohoo, when's the draw, good luck, and lets plan for St Paddy's day