If you could live during any period, in any country...
Discuss issues related to past events, people, places, or old empires and civilisations.
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Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...Yeah I've always thought that too! There was the program on tv a while back where they helped celebrities unlock their past lives. A lot of them were things they were interested in or felt a connection to.(Original post by fairylights)
in a southern usa state just for the antebellum houses! early 1900's or 1930/40's please
...i wonder if what time period we feel drawn too has an relevance to maybe 'past lives' or something like that...haha -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...I'm a bit obsessed with Regency England so I'd definitely consider being the landed gentry of the Prince Regent's time. OR the Edwardian era, purely for the dresses.(Original post by philistine)
Where and when would you choose, and why? -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...It's so you could get absolutely clattered with Modigliani, Diaz, Picasso and Renoir, of course.(Original post by jimcatinnes)
I think I'd chose France about 1910 or so. I'm not entirely sure why....
Good times, I'd bet. -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...
About a century from now, Japan. Just to see what newfangled contraptions they've come up with by then, but the further into the future you go the less likely you're able to guarantee that the place you land in hasn't collapsed and become a brutal third world dictatorship by the time you arrive. Also because Japan seems to have a collective hardon for futuristic stuff, which I can definitely respect.
Last edited by Concept186; 31-03-2012 at 12:00. -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...
Images of living in the past are always very romanticised, but forgetting about all that let's see...
Ancient Rome would have been very nice, but depending on who you were of course... a fairly well off merchant maybe, or even a slave in a noble household. Tidy darts. I've wished I could go back in time and visit Rome back then, must have been a sight to see. Wouldn't have been bad to be a Romano-Briton either, after all the dust had settled and Boudica wasn't burning Londinium to the ground. Plus I am completely fascinated by the pre-Christian culture of those people, though in the Roman centres they would have mostly been Romanised. Bugger it, let's go pre-Roman living in a nice oppida in Wales. Sleeping in a chilly roundhouse, dying at 20-something most likely, but it wouldn't be so bad! Maybe I could be a tribal chieftain or something... or.... or a druid
I'd also love to have been around in the 50s or so, where I live now. From what my parents have said, life seemed to be so much simpler and less impersonal back then... -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...(Original post by philistine)
Where and when would you choose, and why?
For myself, I'd love to have lived during the beautiful era, or 'La Belle Époque', in France. To be the same age as I am now around 1900 - 1910. Man, that would have been amazing. Just...amazing.
The period was famously painted copious times by French artists Eugène Galien-Laloue, Georges Seurat, Jean Beraud, Renoir and many others. Some images:





Interesting in seeing the responses.
And in just 4 years along comes World War 1, with you the perfect age for conscription. -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...
Oooh. Considering my taste in music, films and clothes, I would love to live in 1950's Britain, or 1950's America, but it was still a very sexist time so it wouldn't be that great. Or maybe being middle class in Britain in the early/mid 1800's, one thing I'd definitely do is try and find Elizabeth Gaskell because she's an amazing author. But let's be honest, most of history is going to suck if you're a woman. Wouldn't say no to Renaissance France either. Obviously I'd love to go back and meet Jesus as well, even if he wasn't the son of God, he must have been a great speaker or he wouldn't have had so many people listening to him, would he?
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Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...
I'm surprised there haven't been more medieval posts on here!
I would love to be around in mid 14th Century England, during the rule of Edward III. Other than the fact that everybody was dying of plague for most of the time, it was beautiful. There was a major political upheaval in which there was a (limited) degree of movement towards secularism, and the official announcement of one united race of English. Fashion developed dramatically, with the long and flowing robes of the earlier years being replaced with fluted and sweeping curves of early Renaissance fashion. Building works became more sophisticated, with stone foundations being introduced to the housing of most people making living conditions somewhat more palatable. Significant wealth flowed into England from the French campaigns and, despite Edward's ultimate failure to secure the French crown, national pride had never been higher! It was a lovely time!
Either that, or the late 9th Century. There is no type of building I prefer to spend time in than the Anglo-Saxon grubenhaus, which is warmer and cosier than any other structure I've ever been in. Also, I would do anything to stand in the shield-wall of Alfred the Great in the epic final stand against the marauding Danish Viking armies at Ethandun. Hooray for Wessex! -
Re: If you could live during any period, in any country...Strong crews. Tempted to neg.(Original post by Skarm)
And in just 4 years along comes World War 1, with you the perfect age for conscription.