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TMI TUESDAY!!! by Domnul Eduard

!!!!!!!!!
KNOW THE DRILL

TMI TUESDAY!!!

Domnul Eduard

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    Can you tell us a bit about Romania?

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      Certainly! What exactly would you like to know most?

      It is basically a country in Europe, in the eastern part of it. It has a most renowned, and above all, an exquisite and overtly finespun region called Transylvania in which I live.
      Romania, especially Transylvania, is a land richly embroidered in folklore and horror tales, with deep woodland as far as the eyes can see, mountains, and all you can imagine your Bram Stoker's average tale to be filled with, in terms of landscape, of course.
      We even have some haunted forests you would not want to spend the night in.

      In terms of people, we are very welcoming, and hospitable. However, I would judge the majority of the folk as traditional, and not as receptive to "progressive" stuff. I am yet to see a gay pride parade here but to be honest, I cannot complain to such a fact. My eyes are happy for that, I am certain.

      This place has a lot of history, and should you ever find yourself in Transylvania, there are a multitude of castles you can visit, as well as cathedrals that act like pillars of other times. In fact, many of our towns here in Transylvania have historical districts, neighborhoods, streets which simply drag you to another place in time as some of these towns have been founded in the Middle Ages, and some by the Romans themselves.

      There's lots of Roman ruins sites. Exquisite stuff.

      Politics can be gruesome though; Corruption is intoxicating everything.

      All in all, it is a beautiful place. And a home I treasure, especially Transylvania.

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      Since you asked, allow me to offer you a little more about my region: http://www.transylvaniabeyond.com/souvenirs-gifts-transylvania-blog/2015/6/18/welcome-to-transylvania

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    Tell me about your fascination with Rome, and what got you started into liking their culture so much.

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      What fascinates me most is usually the thought of how would the world be like if Rome never fell, and never have itself replaced by the Middle Ages.
      You see, Rome was a pillar in Antiquity. I would describe the Roman society very similar to the society we have today, except it was absent of electricity.
      But it was very humane, very organized and bustling of life all over. There had been letters found in a Roman Castrum, Vindolanda. These letters were from a legionnaire there and he sent them back to Rome, to his mother, complaining about the cold weather there in Britannia, and asking her to send him his pair of pants and woolen socks he had at home.

      It was also a civilization beyond the time it manifested itself in. It developed some bewildering things that even today, we cannot recreate. In fact, they developed a form of cement (or whatever) whose properties today could only be equaled by using artificial materials such as silicone, yet they used entirely natural materials.
      I mean, they had water stockpiles underground they used to supply towns with, and even to these days, these stockpiles, made of stone/cement, haven't found themselves significantly corroded by water (you know that water "eats" through stone) and they still could keep that water freshly inside.

      Then there is their system of roads, their infrastructure, their communication, their logistics. It was simply... supreme. For their times, their roads were remarkably safe and they had an efficient telegraphic system. You could send letters from one part of the empire to another, you could travel from one part of the empire to another.
      In fact, there were correspondences between patrician women, one from Britannia (I believe) another from Rome. The patrician from Rome was complimenting her for the party the Britannian one had and how kind she was to invite her.

      The first and foremost thing that fascinated me about it was that it was a civilizing element. Contrary to other armies and countries, Rome, whenever it went, it did not destroy, it enlightened, it civilized.

      Their integration policies amaze me too. Their traditions, their morals, their values. Family was utterly important to them, so was their city-state, and then Empire, so was the Emperor.
      Did you knew there was a dead penalty in being caught paying prostitutes with official, legit coins? This was because the Roman coins, as you may know, bore the face of the emperor and it felt insulting, towards the emperor, and the empire, to pay a prostitute in such a way.
      Instead, there were some special kind of coins bearing sexual moves and activities that you would exchange real coins for. You would pay a prostitute with these kind of coins and you would receive the activity that was imprinted on the coin.

      Then there is the army, the army was a society itself, like a society inside another society. It was also so full of tradition, and discipline, yet it was very cruel too.

      All in all, my fascination with Rome is courtesy to its innovation, to its culture, to its society, and the mark it left upon the world.

      What sparked this passion of mine for Rome were more stuff.
      First, I have to thank my father. He is a... very interesting, unique person and he has a strong love, respect for anything orderly and disciplined, therefore he appreciated the Roman Legion and he came to share that with me when I was little. He also is a fan of Strategy/RTS Games haha.
      It also comes from games, Rome Total War is one of the first games I have ever played.
      There were my history courses in school.
      The Hollywood movies (Although, now I came to disdain them due to the abject lack of accuracy they have. It is amazing how historical reenactment trained such an eye for me)
      The book "Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. It had excerpts describing the romans.
      And the most important factor: Historical Reenactment

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      But if you would permit me, I would like to provide a retort as I am curious too. Tell me please, of your fascination with Egypt, and what has sparked it.