Comments on: The technologies which have had the most profound effects on human life are usually simple https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Thu, 28 May 2026 23:08:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: CVLR https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/comment-page-1/#comment-3063394 CVLR Wed, 04 Mar 2020 05:59:47 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=46349#comment-3063394 Lu An Li,

Napoleon.

LOL.

]]> By: Kirk https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/comment-page-1/#comment-3061512 Kirk Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:42:00 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=46349#comment-3061512 Nonetheless, we have fought wars in the winter. Romans did it against the Germans, who were over-confident that the Romans would not cross the Rhein to get at them in winter. I forget which Emperor it was that did this, but I believe it was Germanicus who led the legions into Germany.

]]> By: Lu An Li https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/comment-page-1/#comment-3061488 Lu An Li Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:19:43 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=46349#comment-3061488 Warfare until relatively recently not conducted during winter. No fodder for the horses on the move. Going into winter quarters the only alternative for an army that was engaged in a prolonged conflict. Feed those horses hay.

]]> By: Isegoria https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/comment-page-1/#comment-3061431 Isegoria Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:38:24 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=46349#comment-3061431 The claim that hay was invented after the Fall of Rome struck me as “off,” too, and it appears that the Romans had a word for hay (faenum), but the use and production of hay may have gone up dramatically later.

]]> By: Kirk https://www.isegoria.net/2020/03/the-technologies-which-have-had-the-most-profound-effects-on-human-life-are-usually-simple/comment-page-1/#comment-3061022 Kirk Mon, 02 Mar 2020 06:56:27 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=46349#comment-3061022 This is one of those assertions I want to see some flippin’ background on. I read this this morning, and it has been bugging me all day–I cannot find a definitive answer to prove this assertion utter bullshit, nor can I find anything backing it up.

The Romans appear to have stored fodder of some sort; Columella suggests turnips be grown and stored for winter use with cattle, along with a host of other references. I can’t find anything that specifically supports Dyson’s contention that the Romans did not crop grass for hay; it would be damned odd if they did not, because I swear I’ve read original source documents talking about it–Which I cannot find for the life of me today.

This sounds really “off”, to my ear.

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