D&D General Travel In Medieval Europe

[Hussar]

neither China nor Egypt were isolated, they were major empires with lots of lomgrange trade networks

Who was 2000 BC Egypt trading with? Long range trade network? To put it in perspective, the distance from Waterdeep to Baldur's Gate is about the same as the distance from Cairo to Aswan. IOW, a small chunk of the Sword Coast - that's hardly a majority - is larger than the entire Egyptian empire.

But, hey, sure, these settings like Forgotten Realms are totally plausible. Sure....

 

[Hussar]

Hey, just for fun, here's a size comparison to the real world of just the Sword Coast.:

 

[MGibster]

Of course, this is what happens when the game of D&D rubs up against anything even approaching a logical approach to setting creation. D&D settings would be horrific places. So, we ignore all that and have our Ren Faire Settings that completely fall apart upon even casual examination.

This is why I view D&D settings as theme parks. Their primary existence is to make for an interesting place to have adventures rather than be a cohesive world that make sense.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

China? Egypt? Both of those were far more advanced than their neighbors for thousands of years.

Describing China as Isolated is a Eurocentric viewpoint. In that sense, you could describe Europe as "isolated". Europe and China where isolated from each other. But China was a massive area bigger than Western Europe, with a huge population, many different cultures, and excellent communication links.

Egypt? Massively connected, to Europe, Africa and Asia. Heard of the Great Library of Alexandria? Where do you think Alexander came from?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Who was 2000 BC Egypt trading with? Long range trade network?

All around the Mediterranean, into Central Africa (Nubia), and east to Babylon. Bronze age goods from Egypt have been found in Britain.

 

[Hussar]

Describing China as Isolated is a Eurocentric viewpoint. In that sense, you could describe Europe as "isolated". Europe and China where isolated from each other. But China was a massive area bigger than Western Europe, with a huge population, many different cultures, and excellent communication links.

Egypt? Massively connected, to Europe, Africa and Asia. Heard of the Great Library of Alexandria? Where do you think Alexander came from?

Considering Alexander is about 2000 after the point I made, I'm not sure that's the point you want to make. When you have a culture that exists for the better part of 10 000 years, of COURSE there's going to be evidence of it everywhere. The point I was making was that these bronze age objects you find in Britain weren't invented in Britain were they? They were invented and made in Egypt. So, how does trade with Britain increase the technological level of Egypt?

But, AGAIN, and this has to be reiterated TIME AND TIME AGAIN, none of these cultures had to contend with anything even approaching the difficulties you'd see in a D&D world. Never minding having towns like Phandalin that have zero protection. Not even a dry moat. Which makes sense when your inspiration is 19th Century western America. It's, as @MGibster very rightly points out - theme park settings.

 

[Tonguez]

All around the Mediterranean, into Central Africa (Nubia), and east to Babylon. Bronze age goods from Egypt have been found in Britain.

Indeed Nubia gets its name from the Egyptian word for Gold (nub).

Egypt started trading from 4000BC (before the empire) and its major trade partners were Nubia and Mesopatamia. Greece, Libya and India and other places came on later.
At one stage Egyptain copper deben (91 gram weight) was the standard currency for trade across the middle east and Levant. Egyptian copper mines being found in Nubia, Sinai and Turkey (via trade with Mesopotamia).

They were invented and made in Egypt. So, how does trade with Britain increase the technological level of Egypt?

there is evidence that Egypt learnt new copper smelting techniques from the Canaanites. Indeed one of the great ironies of Egypt is that it was still using copper and bronze tools when its neighbours in Africa and Middle East were using iron

 

[Zardnaar]

Turns out a lot of Egyptian gold was imported.

Also anything with lapis lazuli came from what's now Afghanistan.

Tin came from Cornwall, Sumeria was trading with Indus River Valley.

 

[Zardnaar]

And stuff from China has turned up in Great Zimbabwe iirc.

 

[MGibster]

The point I was making was that these bronze age objects you find in Britain weren't invented in Britain were they? They were invented and made in Egypt. So, how does trade with Britain increase the technological level of Egypt?

We tend to focus on the architectual accomplishments of Egpyt, but a lot of us don't really appreciate how wealthy they were, and trade was the primary reason Egypt was so wealthy. Their wealth is what allowed them to produce engineers, transport construction material from faraway places, and pay the laborers to do the constructing, etc., etc. Without that wealth, it's doubtful they would have been so technologically advanced.