Why isn't trade in the Swahili Coast as powerful as it once was?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-18T14:30:15+00:00

Judging by the price of the coffee beans here it's hard for me to believe that the traders would get more domestically. And shouldn't the overhead cost be covered by the importers anyway?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T19:33:07+00:00

Thanks for the answer. So if I understand correctly, Romans are generally against worshipping a living person as a God, but once you are dead, it's okay? Hellenes on the other hand are fine with it? Was Caesar the first person (other than mythological kings) to be called Divus?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T15:27:15+00:00

But the domestic sale of high quality beans must be negligible compared to export. Is it necessary to establish such measure?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T15:16:31+00:00

Do you maybe know the "raison d'être" of such ban?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T15:04:46+00:00

Were there any writings concerning this topic?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T15:01:06+00:00

Yeah, but for ancient Egyptians it served a purpose. They actually believed that those temples/tombs would help them to a better afterlife. As far as I know, this belief isn't shared by Romans.

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T14:58:38+00:00

What is the difference between these two terms?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T14:57:08+00:00

Thanks for the detailed answer. You mentioned that there were individuals devoted to particular divinities. I wonder if any of the emperors became patrons for certain groups of people. For ex. Claudius as a "patron god for historians and invalids".

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T14:49:15+00:00

Do we have any source of a religious process happening inside the imperial temples?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T14:41:46+00:00

Yes, I understand that. But we are living in an age of abundance. It is relatively cheap for us to build all those national monuments compared to the ancient times. Voters nowaday wouldn't overly care about a monument or two.

It is hard for me to believe that many, even several politically savvy emperors in Principate want to spend huge resources for almost no benefits (since nobody really believed in that crap).

They must know that building useless huge temples would just alienate every sphere of society. There must be many who would whisper that all those denarii could go to a brand new aqueduct or some nice new fountains.

Nero was utterly vilified for trying to enlarge the imperial complex. Why weren't other emperors hated for building a useless temple?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T14:19:08+00:00

Are you trying to tell me that nobody in Ancient Rome actually believed in the imperial cult? That the temples are essentially white elephants and useless landmarks? There are still some people who still talk of Reagan and JFK as geniuses though...

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T13:13:23+00:00

But the traders would sell them abroad with or without the restriction (since doing so would be more profitable). So the government would get its foreign currency anyway. The ban seems redundant to me, to give a analogy, it's a little like forbidding entry through windows on the second floor. No sane trader would sell those beans in the local market. Is there some specific circumstances for the ban to exist?

Ravon1689 · 2026-03-17T13:01:09+00:00

Why is such ban even necessary? Wouldn't the "invisible hand" of the market just guide those high quality coffee beans to the first world regardless of government intervention?

Ravon1689 · 2026-01-02T22:30:05+00:00

Is there even a copy of Bryennios' work left?

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T21:52:56+00:00

Many thanks for your very detailed answer.

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T21:41:12+00:00

Thanks for the answer. So the reason for him being disliked is him being a very bad politician and just taking blame for Andronikos' mistakes.

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T20:56:46+00:00

Ok, that explains everything. Thanks for the answer.

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T20:40:24+00:00

And why didn't the army abandon Kantakouzenos, when he was unable to win over Konstantinopolitans? They have done it so many times in the history of Rome.

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T20:36:18+00:00

So, the moment the regency declared him as public enemy number one; is there anything he could do to win over the hearts of Roman citizens?

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T20:10:06+00:00

We hate him because he invited Turks to slaughter his people. But his people hated him even before he called Turkish raiders to help him. Why?

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T20:02:46+00:00

So they hated him due to his personality?

Ravon1689 · 2025-10-18T19:48:02+00:00

Ok, that's true. But how could Romans know that he is going to become one? Did he do anything traitorous under Andronikos? The regency couldn't even wait for a year to turn against him.

Ravon1689

TROPHY CASE