Which culture is the biggest?

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

Unless Roman and Greek culture, I don't think that Valyria did add something valuable to Planetos civilization. So the biggest culture is Andal (christian) culture. 

 

[ChuckPunch]

Well first of all if any religion is "Christian" its the Red Religion. Singular god, his having a reborn son, etc.

To your point, I would say that the First Men was the most impacting on Westeros. They began the notion of Kings and Lords in the region. 

[Corvo the Crow]

Rhoynar. They taught how to work iron to Andals and Valyrians both. Also gender equality gives them more points!

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

13 minutes ago, Corvo the Crow said:

Rhoynar. They taught how to work iron to Andals and Valyrians both. Also gender equality gives them more points!

Considering how much they affected Dorne Rhoynish culture should be the first after Andals. Then First men , Valyrians and Ghiscari. I don't include Yi Ti and others since I know nothing about them.

[Moiraine Sedai]

So if we're talking influence on a global level, the Valyrians.  It's not even a contest.

 

[Megorova]

I think that Valyrians did influenced Planetos. Prior Valyrians, nearly entire Essos was slave continent (because of Ghiscary Empire, that later was defeated by Valyrians). And even though Valyrians also were slavers, but it's thanks to them, that appeared Free Cities, and thus at least part of continent became un-slaved. And also Valyrians added their genes into genetic pool of races that lived in Essos. Even though they were just one race, and aside from them, there were lots of other races on that continent, influence of Valyrian genes was the biggest in genetic pool of Essos. They were actively mixing with other races of Essos, and thus caused there genetic evolution. Because prior Valyrians, other races of Essos didn't mixed much. And thus eventually their isolated genetic pools would have became exhausted, degraded, and eventually those races would have became extinct. But Valyrians not only mixed their genes into genetic pools of other races of Essos, they also made it more common and acceptable for other races to mix between themselves. Same things with Andals and Rhoynars, if they weren't running away from Valyrians, then they would have never went to Westeros, and thus wouldn't have added their genes into genetic pool of First Men, and thus eventually First Men would have became extinct, when their genes would have became too "monotonous". I'm not expert in genetics, and English isn't my first language, so I'm not sure whether I'm expressing myself correctly on this topic. The point is, is that Valyrians caused great migration of genes all over Planetos, and thus caused other races of Planetos to mix genetically and evolve. Genetic diversity is necessary for survival of all species, and Valyrians were that factor, that enhanced genetic diversity on Planetos. Valyrians also inadvertedly caused extension of different cultures (such as Andals bringing their culture to Westeros), and preservation of varying religions. Because Valyrians allowed to all of enslaved by them nations, to keep their original religions. If not that, then instead of keep living and reproducing, those nations could have went into war against Valyrians, for the sake of defending their gods, and thus would have been totally annihilated by Valyrians and their dragons. But Valyrians were lenient in that aspect, and thus enslaved by them nations, had one reason lesser, to oppose their slavers, and thanks to this, they managed to live long enough, until Valyrians were nearly entirely wiped out during the Doom.

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

37 minutes ago, Moiraine Sedai said:

So if we're talking influence on a global level, the Valyrians.  It's not even a contest.

 

They did what they did with dragons and andals did what they did with a book. Which one is the biggest culture?

[Kandrax]

Serbian. We are older than amoebas.

[kissdbyfire]

7 hours ago, Corvo the Crow said:

Rhoynar. They taught how to work iron to Andals and Valyrians both. Also gender equality gives them more points!

This! I'd give much and more to get a book on Rhoynar history instead of more incest and madness. Alas...

And the bold! 

1 hour ago, Kandrax said:

Serbian. We are older than amoebas.

 

[The Sunland Lord]

No culture is that superior, I like the fact that Andals and First Men are mixed. I know little about Valyria of old but they had slaves after all. That is not ok. 

In general, I don't like Essos too much. People in there change sides like socks. So many mercenaries. I find this repulsive. 

Also, Tywin had it right about some things. "Give gold to your foe and he will come back to ask for more." Spot on. What kind of way of functioning is that. They keep slaves but they are afraid to face the Dothraki so they give them gifts to buy peace temporarily, because slavery provides them with wealth.

Westeros has its weak spots but Westerosi would never practice something so undignified. 

On the other hand Braavos seems like one of the best places to live in that world. I'd say notning is for certain. It's supposed to be complex and we can be conflicted.

[Annalee]

8 hours ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Unless Roman and Greek culture, I don't think that Valyria did add something valuable to Planetos civilization. So the biggest culture is Andal (christian) culture. 

 

Are you asking which culture made the biggest and longest lasting impact on the world?  That would be the Valyrians.  What you consider valuable depends on where you come from.  The Fate of the Seven would argue they brought chivalry and thus made the most valuable contribution.  The Ghiscari built great pyramids and gave themselves a life free from labor.  The practice of slavery that they perfected to a horrible culture lasted until the arrival of Mhysa.  In my opinion, the Valyrians gave that world its most valuable legacy.  Their roads still exists to this day and continues to serve their purpose.  The only surviving family from the original Dragonlords united an untamed continent of Westeros and built the largest nation of their time.  The last of the Valyrians is the divine wind of change that brought desperately needed reforms to Slaver's Bay and she hopes to put an end to the practice of slavery.  

 

[Bitterblooms]

On 5/4/2018 at 0:16 PM, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Unless Roman and Greek culture, I don't think that Valyria did add something valuable to Planetos civilization. So the biggest culture is Andal (christian) culture. 

 

I think the question is a hard one for me to answer because I personally think thar the assumption that each culture can be matched to an ancient or medieval Earth culture is flawed. Nadal is not like medieval Christianity at all. People are always saying that the faith of the Seven is like Catholicism but it is only superficially true in that you have a pope like figure, a priest like order, a monk like order, and a special relationship between church and state. But even in those similarities it really breaks down. 

Even in westeros, each region and time period is influenced by a different cultural history. So to determine which culture has the biggest influence you'd need a context. If the seasons are a magical event caused by the Children, then I guess they have the biggest impact because life and death revolves around them. 

[Ser Duncan of Flea Bottom]

I would say YiTish culture, they have a great territory, they expanded a lot, Valyria never dared to attack them, they are very rich and powerful, their armies are like hundreds of thousands.

In other aspects, like religion and customs, I would say the Andals and the Rhoynar.

[OtherFromAnotherMother]

Quote

Which culture is the biggest?

The Lengii.

 

From the world book:

Quote

The native Lengii are perhaps the tallest of all the known races of mankind, with many men amongst them reaching seven feet in height, and some as tall as eight. 

 

[Dorian Martell's son]

On 5/4/2018 at 9:16 AM, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

 I don't think that Valyria did add something valuable to Planetos civilization. So the biggest culture is Andal (christian) culture. 

you are wrong. the Valyrian language is spoken far and wide on the continent in various dialects. That means the biggest cultural influence is theirs 

On 5/4/2018 at 9:20 AM, ChuckPunch said:

Well first of all if any religion is "Christian" its the Red Religion. Singular god, his having a reborn son, etc.

To your point, I would say that the First Men was the most impacting on Westeros. They began the notion of Kings and Lords in the region. 

The 7 is the stand in for christianity, with the morality, pageantry and sin 

On 5/4/2018 at 9:49 AM, Corvo the Crow said:

Rhoynar. They taught how to work iron to Andals and Valyrians both. Also gender equality gives them more points!

we are talking about cultural reach, not technological development 

On 5/4/2018 at 10:44 AM, Moiraine Sedai said:

So if we're talking influence on a global level, the Valyrians.  It's not even a contest.

bingo 

On 5/4/2018 at 11:23 AM, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

They did what they did with dragons and andals did what they did with a book. Which one is the biggest culture?

The method matters not. the effect is the important part, and the dragon riders did it in spades 

[Ran]

Just to pitch in and agree with those saying that the Valyrians are the most influential ancient culture to the development of the known world. The Free Cities and the Ghiscari cities all owe their present states to Valyria, large stretches of the Rhoyne being depopulatedis a real but negative aspect of Valyria's existence, and of course from Valyria came the Targaryens who unified Westeros under their rule. So that's one continent and a substantial part of a second continent deeply affected by a single culture. And per GRRM, the Andals fled to Westeros in part to get away from the Valyrians, so... that changed some history. For that matter, the relocation of a remnant of Rhoynish culture to Dorne is also a consequence of Valyria...

The Andals are probably second, though, if you consider their impact on Westeros. 

[kissdbyfire]

1 hour ago, Ran said:

And per GRRM, the Andals fled Westeros in part to get away from the Valyrians, so... that changed some history

You mean Andalos, right? When the Andals fled Andalos...

 

[Ran]

7 minutes ago, kissdbyfire said:

You mean Andalos, right? When the Andals fled Andalos...

 

Err, yes. Or maybe "to Westeros" was what I was thinking of at the time... Anyways, you get what I mean!

[Foot_Of_The_King]

On 5/4/2018 at 11:20 AM, ChuckPunch said:

Well first of all if any religion is "Christian" its the Red Religion. Singular god, his having a reborn son, etc.

To your point, I would say that the First Men was the most impacting on Westeros. They began the notion of Kings and Lords in the region. 

The whole “seven aspects of the same god” thing sounds very much like the Holy Trinity in Catholicism.  

[Corvo the Crow]

9 hours ago, kissdbyfire said:

You mean Andalos, right? When the Andals fled Andalos...

 

 

He accidentally gave a spoiler from ADOS. 

Andals will flee from Westeros and the crazy dragon lady. 

It is known.