The Fall of Rome

I am currently teaching th History of Graphic Design. In the history of design we follow the spread of ideas - primarily in the form of written communication.

There is a big time lapse between the study Roman design and the Illuminated manuscripts. When Rome fell, it seems that a lot more than Rome fell. The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization looks like an incredible book which explains the fall and the repercussions of the fall. The fall was important to the entire "known world". The Roman empire was large - spread throughout Europe and into Asia. Parts of Europe were dependent upon the Roman empire for trade, commerce, and technologies. When Rome fell, these items were no longer available. The roads, which had been protected by Rome, were no longer safe. Commerce ceased, the exchange of ideas slowed, and literacy nearly ended. Survival skills which had been necessary were not needed during the occupation of Rome. Pottery was shipped in from Rome, rather than made in England....

The Fall of Rome caused many problems and it took hundreds of years for skills to be redeveloped.

This has made me look at the skills the tools that we have become reliant on. Our houses are a good example. Houses have become larger and larger and more dependent upon natural gas. These houses are harder to heat and dependent upon a non-renewable resource. At one time, homes were smaller and used wood masonry fireplaces (which are extremely efficient). What would we do now without heat? What would we do if Rome fell today?

What skills do we rely on? We gather our food from stores (often prepackaged - so all we have to do is "zap" it in the microwave), we use cars and trucks to move goods (including food) throughout our country, we rely on machinery somewhere else to make our fibers and then to sew our clothing. We use plastic (petroleum based) items to store our food instead of the traditional pottery, baskets, etc.... Do we even have friend or neighbors who have skills? Most of us do not.

We rely on a much larger community than even was relied on during the Roman Empire. Almost everything is machine made and transported long distances. We are also further from self-sufficiency than during the Roman period.

I have decided to build a set of skills. I am looking at everything I own and determining if it is necessary and how I can either do without or make it myself. Can many of us spin, weave, knit, sew, make soap (from ashes), use medicinal herbs, make paper, candles, save seeds, garden, preserve food, cook? Can you share skills with a neighbor?

Any civilization can fall. Some may fall further than others. What will happen if that happens to us? How far will we fall? I don't think of myself as a doom and gloom person, but I want to have skills - even if that means I have to cut out my cuppa joe (yes, I am weaning myself).

There is a spinning class here in April. I plan on going. What skill are you going to develop first?