All the Roman Empire needed was a banking system, a postal system, and universal compulsory education, and they’d be running Europe and the Mediterranean basin to this day. :’)
Those interested can find more on FR, look for the Nemi Ship of Caligula, or Tamil Trade — either topic has more links.
I’m left asking why wouldn’t something like this have been done and much earlier than AD? I’d think that people would have been trying to keep the fish fresh and in seawater would have been the way.
“All the Roman Empire needed was a banking system, a postal system, and universal compulsory education, . . . “
A property recordation system and a court system that impartially enforced contracts would be a must also. Universal education, probably not so much. The US was the already the most powerful country in the world by the beginning of the 20th century—before universal compulsory education in the US.
Between the Western, Eastern, and Holy Roman empires, Roman culture and it’s offspring have succeeded in dominating most of the last 2000 years of European history.
What’s there today is basically the embers of Rome. The only reason they are starting to move beyond that is because the third wave of the Caliphate is upon them, and by their own hand to boot.