Astronomy of Ice and Fire: the Language of Leviathan

[Durran Durrandon]

 

I agree with Dominus that Valyria is more akin to the Roman Empire, with their extreme hubris and enslavemtn of peoples in far off lands. The road building is a direct take from the Roman Empire. Of course the Roman system of slavery was far more humane than Valyria - in roman society slaves had several ways of rising out of serfdom, even holding land and becoming a citizen, whereas Valyria fed their slaves to the gristmill of the mines, more akin to Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia. Of course the Valyrians had dragons and existed for five thousand years, which is unprecedented in real history. We should all be glad the Nazis didn't have dragons, you know?

So, the other similarity between Rome and Valyria that many people seem to miss is that the Ghiscari Empire seems to parallel Rome's ancient rival Carthage, their war resembles the Punic Wars, and many historians have made the argument that Rome's success in the Punic Wars was the inception of its transition from Republic to Empire, much as Valyria's victory over Gischari begins Valyria's transition from freehold to slaving empire. I also wouldn't let Rome off the hook with its treatment of slaves. There was a period when slaves were better treated, and there were opportunities for urban slaves. However, the growth of the plantation system fueled by slaves brought in from conquest as the Roman Empire expanded, could be quite brutal. One should not forget Rome's mass crucifixion of slaves after putting down slave revolts.

 

[LmL]

Great comments Durran D. I think you're spot on with the Carthage analogy. So perhaps instead of "far more humane," I suppose I should say "for the most part less inhumane" or some such thing. Rome existed for a long time, so as you say, there are different periods and localities where all of this was in flux. 

 

As for Valyria, there's no doubt that their slavery was the most brutal kind. Their client cities did pretty well, but for those taken into slavery... not so much.