This section strikes me as a bit odd. "The widespread anemia from parasite infection in ancient Egypt meant they would have struggled to build these monuments using their own diseased workforce...
This section strikes me as a bit odd.
"The widespread anemia from parasite infection in ancient Egypt meant they would have struggled to build these monuments using their own diseased workforce alone. They could only build the ancient Egypt we see today using imported labor, such as slaves captured during military campaigns."
The Egyptians were so weak with chronic illness they couldn't move big rocks around, but strong enough to capture and command substantial slave workforces?
Pure speculation, but I would wager it has something to do with their size. The regularity of Nile flooding meant increased crop yields, which led to a massive civilization relative to anything...
Pure speculation, but I would wager it has something to do with their size. The regularity of Nile flooding meant increased crop yields, which led to a massive civilization relative to anything else around at the time. Such a large (and centralized) civilization makes technological advancement easier than smaller ones that don't have the benefit of the Nile and had to expend a ton more time and energy to sustain themselves. Thus Egypt could steamroll any smaller neighbors despite of any chronic illnesses they may have dealt with.
Also, I bet those neighbors were dealing with the same sorts of chronic illnesses. And again, they didn't have the Nile, so malnutrition may have been a bigger factor for them as well.
This section strikes me as a bit odd.
"The widespread anemia from parasite infection in ancient Egypt meant they would have struggled to build these monuments using their own diseased workforce alone. They could only build the ancient Egypt we see today using imported labor, such as slaves captured during military campaigns."
The Egyptians were so weak with chronic illness they couldn't move big rocks around, but strong enough to capture and command substantial slave workforces?
Pure speculation, but I would wager it has something to do with their size. The regularity of Nile flooding meant increased crop yields, which led to a massive civilization relative to anything else around at the time. Such a large (and centralized) civilization makes technological advancement easier than smaller ones that don't have the benefit of the Nile and had to expend a ton more time and energy to sustain themselves. Thus Egypt could steamroll any smaller neighbors despite of any chronic illnesses they may have dealt with.
Also, I bet those neighbors were dealing with the same sorts of chronic illnesses. And again, they didn't have the Nile, so malnutrition may have been a bigger factor for them as well.
Conjecture, but maybe it has something to do with younger citizens being drafted to the military, and thus less infested with parasites?