Nuggets of insight from "Secrets of Ancient Empires" YouTube

[UTUSN]

* Capital cities naturally grew populations because being in the capital is: Where it's at. In any civilization.

* Temples, importance of religion - called "temple towns."

* Sacrifices, offerings - integral rituals - actually, the early form of *taxation*.

* Fabulous Babylon.

* Idealistic Greece, totally dependent on slavery. Aristotle said it was a "necessary" condition.

* Routes to slavery: War captives, yes, but also *debt* - unable to pay, given over as slave to whom owed to.

* Private libraries in homes. Herculaneum has a house with a room plainly equipped with shelves. Call them "library rooms."

* To the Ancients, Egypt was already ancient. Cleopatra is as close to us as the pyramid builders were to the Ancients.

[Kaleva]

1. The last one about how old Egyptian civilization is is mind boggling.

Caesar Augustus is closer to us in time, by about 3 hundred years, then he was to the end of the peak of pyramid building.

[UTUSN]

2. Funny how in the '70s the profs were "educating" us with Touchy-Feely stuff, saying "not Egypt" -

Somehow the history in school didn't get some critical points across, like how the "Dark" Ages came from the fall of the Romans - plus from volcanic eruptions that clouded over into Climate Change.

Funny haha, tidbit about the monks who created the gorgeous Illustrated scriptures - scribble/scribble - in the unheated buildings during Winter, little notes, "I am SO cold!"

[Fla Dem]

3. Also on Amazon Prime. Just added it to my watch list. Thanks.

[UTUSN]

4. You're welcome. I was seeing it on Roku/Pluto & found it on YouTube. From the Discovery channel.