About a year ago I read an article somewhere online about the role that trees played in the smelting of silver during the Roman empire, and how this was related to the Romans’ ability to wage war. They paid their soldiers with the silver denarius. I seem to recall that the article asserted that one of the factors that brought about the fall of Rome was that they cut down too many trees in what were once immense European forests in order to fuel their smelting operations. Once the trees were in short supply they began running out of silver and could no longer maintain a strong army.
Whether I’ve got that story exactly right I am not sure, but for me it was such a new take on history that I bought a Kindle version of a book that the article referred to: A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization, by John Perlin. You can find it on Amazon. I have not yet found time to read it, but leafing through it I find it an absolutely fascinating account of the role of trees throughout history, providing the major source of fuel and building materials as civilizations build, and then collapse, when the use of trees outstrips their capacity to regrow.
Yes. I want to see your Tree Poems!
I will work on them a little bit more and then send them out!
I too would like to read your tree poems.
About a year ago I read an article somewhere online about the role that trees played in the smelting of silver during the Roman empire, and how this was related to the Romans’ ability to wage war. They paid their soldiers with the silver denarius. I seem to recall that the article asserted that one of the factors that brought about the fall of Rome was that they cut down too many trees in what were once immense European forests in order to fuel their smelting operations. Once the trees were in short supply they began running out of silver and could no longer maintain a strong army.
Whether I’ve got that story exactly right I am not sure, but for me it was such a new take on history that I bought a Kindle version of a book that the article referred to: A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization, by John Perlin. You can find it on Amazon. I have not yet found time to read it, but leafing through it I find it an absolutely fascinating account of the role of trees throughout history, providing the major source of fuel and building materials as civilizations build, and then collapse, when the use of trees outstrips their capacity to regrow.
Wow that sounds like a fascinating book!