# why do you hate the ancient romans? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085 "2001-06-25T14:52:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/1 "2001-06-25T14:52:46Z")
I’m Jewish, so obviously I have a problem with the fact that the Romans destroyed our Temple, massacred millions of my ancestors, and exiled my people from their land. But there are more reasons to hate the Romans. Here’s a few: – Nero Burning ROM: Doesn’t always work when I try to make bootable CDs. – They invented the fresco, which is awfully like Fresca, a terrible drink. – They invented candles. And this Vanessa person has done a pretty good job of explaining why candles are bad: [http://www.wnba.com/fire/vanessa\_vision2.html](http://www.wnba.com/fire/vanessa_vision2.html) – They stole the Greek gods. How lame is that? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/2 "2001-06-25T15:13:44Z")
Reg: All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us? Attendee: Brought peace? Reg: Oh, peace – shut up! ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/3 "2001-06-25T15:22:48Z")
“All roads lead to Rome.” Talk about being Romo-centric. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/4 "2001-06-25T15:38:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by screech-owl \* > \*\*“All roads lead to Rome.” > Talk about being Romo-centric. \*\* You people are a bunch of bigots. I thought that we got rid of such blatant Romo-Phobia back in 700 A.D. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/5 "2001-06-25T15:42:25Z")
They had slaves ---
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/6 "2001-06-25T15:43:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*Reg: All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us? > Attendee: Brought peace? > Reg: Oh, peace – shut up! > > \*\* This is from the Talmud: > [@](#): > > A chilling episode is recorded in the Tractate Shabbat (33b). Rav Yehuda, Rav Yose and Rav Shimon Bar Yohai were discussing the Roman Empire. Rav Yehuda declared, “How magnificent are the accomplishments of that nation. They established marketplaces, bridges and bathhouses.” Rav Yose remained silent. Rav Shimon Bar Yohai was critical: “They established marketplaces to make room for the prostitutes, bathhouses to spoil themselves with pleasures and bridges in order to collect taxes and tolls.” ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/7 "2001-06-25T16:00:30Z")
It’s their fault [that railroad tracks are that width.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000218.html) And I gotta admit I got a problem with that whole “tossing the Christians to the lions” business. \ If you rent the DVD for _Gladiator_, take a moment to see the cut scene of Maximus watching Christians being attacked by lions (tigers?) in the ring. Moving and chilling. \ ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/8 "2001-06-25T16:20:31Z")
Too many people named _Naughtius Maximus_ and _Biggus Diccus._ Freaking Romans. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/9 "2001-06-25T16:21:10Z")
Those Roman bastards killed my dog! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/10 "2001-06-25T16:27:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by curwin \* > \*\*-- They stole the Greek gods. How lame is that? > > \*\* Well, they DID come up with a few of their own…demi-gods really, but still, it showed a little initiative. Lessee…off the top of my head…there was **Saturn,** an ancient Italian deity, the founder of the Saturnalia. **Terminus,** the god of landmarks (no kidding). And **Flora,** the goddess of, um, flowers…and **Pomona,** the goddess of pom-poms. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/11 "2001-06-25T16:49:25Z")
“We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can’t scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what annoys me.” - Jack Handey ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/12 "2001-06-25T18:28:59Z")
:mad: Whaat?! how can you NOT like the Ancient Romans? They completely and uterly rock!! Gladiator is the bomb. These guys knew how to have fun, man. 😛 Admit it, the only reason you’re being so cruel is because they can’t come over here with their chariots and whatnot and beat you to a bloody pulp, right? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/13 "2001-06-25T18:57:25Z")
The Romans invented the basis of modern civilization: Concrete. And they were engineers; how could you not like that?!? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/14 "2001-06-25T19:10:58Z")
Because they came up with a whole bunch of legal maxims, and what is worse, every damned one of them is in Latin. Why couldn’t they spear English like decent people? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/15 "2001-06-25T19:14:26Z")
As **concrete** has been banned from this board on MANY occasions, I hardly think dropping his name will do much to further your argument. And calling him “civilized,” well, you obviously don’t know him as the rest of us do. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/16 "2001-06-25T19:28:00Z")
I’m sorry to say that I LIKE the Romans. But, I also love ancient history; it’s a weakness. Sure, they killed folks, screwed up their society with all those orgies and bread and circuses (sp?), enslaved millions of people, but, hey! they got the job done, didn’t they? You can’t argue with success! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/17 "2001-06-25T19:36:09Z")
A schoolboy plaint _Latin is a dead language, It’s plain enough to see. It killed off all the Romans And now it’s killing me._ ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/18 "2001-06-25T19:46:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spavined Gelding \* > \*\*Because they came up with a whole bunch of legal maxims, and what is worse, every damned one of them is in Latin. Why couldn’t they spear English like decent people? \*\* Well, **Spavined Gelding** , decent people don’t spear the English. We just don’t liek them very much is all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/19 "2001-06-25T20:16:05Z")
I don’t personally hate the Romans, but one guy who did was Petr Beckmann, who wrote the wonderful book **A History of Pi**. This book is also wonderfully cranky, reflecting the author’s dislike of Aristotle, the Soviet Union, and the Roman Empire. Read it for the the excellent history and mathematics, but also beware of his prejudices. ---
**Author:** ![missdavis102](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@missdavis102](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missdavis102)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085/20 "2001-06-25T21:25:11Z")
I hate those pansy Gladiator uniforms. I mean, men in leather miniskirts is so 1995. And those so-called breastplates didn’t really protect you from anything, they just caused funny tan lines. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-hate-the-ancient-romans/70085.md?page=2)