Rome burned while Nero fiddled. It's technically true so it doesn't fit the OPs question. However, most people seem to think Bero did that because he was crazy because ... Well Nero was cray-to-the-zee crazy. But the reality on this particular occasion is *much* more nuanced. Nero was already playing the fiddle when he heard the news of the fire in the tenements of Rome. This is important for a few reasons *1. The tenements were housing the poor or the plebes as tge Romans referred to them. And like all powerful people in history Nero cared considerably less for the poor than the rich. *2. The fire was in the tenements. Nero had been imploring people NOT to expand the tenements so much because the Romans had such a habit of expansion that it was fairly typical for the tops of buildings to be wider than the base because after all you can only expand so much at ground level before you run into the road. But three or four stories up its a different story and the owners of the tenements would often add more living quarters to the tops of the building to get more people in their buildings. As a result some tenements were sharing walls on the third and fourth floors with neighbors that were separated by N entire road. This led to more than a few collapses. That in turn prompted Nero to start trying to rally support from the other elite senators about town to outlaw such building practices. Right as that was going on the fire breaks out. In Neros mind the fire is yet another reason why the tenements are being built dangerously. And so he didn't react with shock because he'd been arguing for a little while that the tenements were dangerous. Lastly. People say he fiddled while Romee burned implying that he did nothing. But the reality is that professional firefighting brigades didn't really come about until the early 20th century. Prior to that in say roman times fires got put out by volunteers who made ends meet by robbing the homes they were helping deal with fires. So even If Nero thought something needed to be done there was no force he could assign to combat the fire.As a result Nero just kept on with his practice because there wasn't anything he could really do AND even if there was he wouldn't have wanted to because he felt the fire proved his point about the tenements being poorly constructed. NOT because he was crazy...for once.
Exactly - Lack of written sources === The Dark Ages.
#3 Study of Ur and other cities in modern Iraq point to a very different interpretation, that until they were able to store grains and cereals, civilization could not happen. People were too concerned about scrounging for food to put energy into building a society or government or religion or anything else.
Actually, a lot of what is posted here by whoever this is, is false, misrepresents, or needs further context. No citations other than "Trust me, I'm the internet". Drivel.
Until humans were able to use fire for themselves they used almost all of their energy by looking for and consuming food.
Is also a theory, like a lot of other 'findings'.
All religion keeps people in the "Dark Ages." Especially, Islam.
Congratulations to you!
Exactly - Lack of written sources === The Dark Ages.
#3 Study of Ur and other cities in modern Iraq point to a very different interpretation, that until they were able to store grains and cereals, civilization could not happen. People were too concerned about scrounging for food to put energy into building a society or government or religion or anything else.
Actually, a lot of what is posted here by whoever this is, is false, misrepresents, or needs further context. No citations other than "Trust me, I'm the internet". Drivel.
Until humans were able to use fire for themselves they used almost all of their energy by looking for and consuming food.
Is also a theory, like a lot of other 'findings'.
All religion keeps people in the "Dark Ages." Especially, Islam.
Congratulations to you!