What if an alphabet is not developed in the mediterranian/near east? - or at least it doesn't become widely popular.
What if instead, civilization on this side of India, much like in the far east, continues to use script based writing systems?
This could potentially be rather interesting.
One of the many differences between Rome and China is the writing systems. Wheras latin would inevitably diverge from what the people actually speak, in China there was a disconnect between the written and spoken language thus allowing written communication between people speaking widely different languages.
Assuming some sort of Rome analogue rising in this alternative west (for the sake of discussion just imagine a mega butterfly net and it is the Roman empire as we know it but for this difference)....how would it develop differently? Would the language help to keep it united/reunite properly?
What if instead, civilization on this side of India, much like in the far east, continues to use script based writing systems?
This could potentially be rather interesting.
One of the many differences between Rome and China is the writing systems. Wheras latin would inevitably diverge from what the people actually speak, in China there was a disconnect between the written and spoken language thus allowing written communication between people speaking widely different languages.
Assuming some sort of Rome analogue rising in this alternative west (for the sake of discussion just imagine a mega butterfly net and it is the Roman empire as we know it but for this difference)....how would it develop differently? Would the language help to keep it united/reunite properly?