To prove you were a God back then what would you "show off"

If you had anything from the present day that is currently within reach, such as a car or rifle, phone, laptop, laser pointer, to prove you were a God back in the Roman Empire times up to the Midevil ages what would you of brought back.


I feel like a good ole pistol + tons of ammo would prove a lot or they'd call you a wizard.


A vehicle would be nice especially a nice fast one that can handle terrain since no roads + good bit of fuel stored in the trunk.


Even if it was medical supplies medicines,eye glasses,

What technology would you "show off" to prove to them back then.

a reply to: Zeimten

I don't think you are supposed to do that.

A gun? A lot of civilizations used gun powder. Just showing them my watch might suffice?

You don't really say back 'when' and your first guess before edit made no sense.

a reply to: Zeimten

A tactical nuke.
Sure to make 'em listen.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Zeimten

A tactical nuke.
Sure to make 'em listen.

Dammit, you win again.

a reply to: Zeimten

If the world went boom, i'd become the new leader of the free world. Skill, Patience, Intelligence, Morality and Marketing.
People would be dense without someone intelligence to show them how to run things. It's what i do. And Eggs..

A hand held blow torch with lots of bottles of fuel. : thats not burning villages down. THIS is burning villages down!

a LOT of c-4 . I like things that go BOOM.. they would too.

Some tactical gear.. introduce the gladiators to KEVLAR... and bet. a LOT. Become queen of the world, get shiny things and floofy puppy dogs... and llamas.

A computer of course. However a much more interesting question would be how to prove it without bringing anything back with you. Depending on the point in history, describing undiscovered physics may convince them, or get you killed.

originally posted by: ChaoticOrder
A computer of course. However a much more interesting question would be how to prove it without bringing anything back with you. Depending on the point in history, describing undiscovered physics may convince them, or get you killed.

HERETIC!!!!!

burn her!!!

Pretty simple....lots and lots of photos, of the world "you created". Have pictures of the current location you are travelling to and the advances "you" built/created. You can claim ruins are your doing ( old temples)and showing completed undergoing projects will convince those in that time line.

Some of the suggestions are very very limited. Shame on you ats.

Condoms, toilet paper and a bic lighter. They would be worshipping at your feet so as your parting gift you teach them how to twerk.

a reply to: Zeimten

My tablet playing some game like the sims, populous, if you're older and remember that, hypnosis, drugs, microwave. They wouldn't know what hit'em.
Somehow I feel like talking about the past, weird how that goes. Memories from a future past, as if they're all just dots on a scale we agreed on to use. Fun part is, they are.
"Do you remember when we crossed paths and there was this pink building? A certain space. But time? Measured in reference to what? Birth? The time period after they woke up and started their day? Or a misleading construct of time being a certain place just as the pink building? A agreed on lie to keep things easy, but entirely artificial. There is a difference between time and space. Just saying.

Interesting you immediately jump to guns. Are you angry? Helpless?

a reply to: Zeimten

I like the premise here, except the "proving I'm a God" part. So I'll just pretend this is asking "what would I show off to prove I was worthy of being famous and followed?". That's good enough, right?

First off, most of our technology would be worthless on its own, since we wouldn't have the technology to recharge or repair most of it. Basic automobiles would also suck, since the cobblestone roads and complete lack of roads would probably destroy the axles and make the cars useless. Our most advanced technologies like satellites and advanced weapons systems would also be irrelevant without the infrastructure to actually use or maintain them.

So my answer would probably be a large set of books with modern information. This would include books on various diseases and illnesses, as well as how to cure them and how to create those cures from scratch. It would also include info like how to make basic lightbulbs, transistors, power lines, small hydroelectric dams, etc. It would also include all of the advances of photography and its related technologies; metallurgy and different forms of alloys; collections of different languages and translations between them; various govt patent applications; and much more.

This information would probably make me hated by some authorities and superstitious "commoners" because I could disprove and overcome their own beliefs and techniques. But it would also make me an unparalleled "genius" and possibly considered a shaman or wizard (or angel/demon), depending on the culture I was in. Either way, I'd probably try to set up random schools and teach people how to build printing presses and other forms of early machinery in order to advance them.

Oh yeah, I'd also become filthy rich from spreading my knowledge throughout the world through books in various languages. Muahahahaha! I'd use that wealth to create my own powerhouse corporations, each devoted to different aspects of technology that only I would know the full extent of.

Of course, I'd also get in the good graces of many kingdoms and empires by revealing the locations of major mineral deposits as collateral and goodwill gestures. Other times, I'd reveal more advanced uses for various minerals they already had. I could also slowly divulge the more advanced methods for extracting harder to reach minerals, as well as newer harvesting techniques and much more. That way, I'd be incredibly famous and powerful while also guiding humankind's advancement.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

Nice, but you forgot the tools.
Could they do any of it to prove it works with their environment, their tools and isn't it maybe a bit much to just say, yes? How many of the information pieces could they actually use? Enough to say it is very likely they'll get the easy one first?

The plan to build a light bulb is useless without a power source.

a reply to: Zeimten

Penicillin

a reply to: TinfoilTP

Roman times had condoms, and wood fires (lighters). They used a scrub brush rather than TP.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: enlightenedservant

Nice, but you forgot the tools.
Could they do any of it to prove it works with their environment, their tools and isn't it maybe a bit much to just say, yes? How many of the information pieces could they actually use? Enough to say it is very likely they'll get the easy one first?

The plan to build a light bulb is useless without a power source.

Thankfully, much of that stuff is actually easy. Basic electricity is actually relativity easy, with various types of batteries existing throughout recorded history. The major advance with the lightbulb was actually finding a substance that would burn steadily for an extended period of time. The most successful material was tungsten.

And let's not forget that humans have had various levels of "advanced" technology throughout recorded history. It's not like they were walking around with sticks and stones all this time. My "greatness" in this scenario would lie in seeing where a specific culture/kingdom already is technologically, and then showing them the next steps. That wouldn't require creating the advanced tools we have today, particularly since many of our great innovations were actually created with basic technologies and tools in the first place.

Blacksmiths, miners, mathematicians, doctors, and engineers have been around since recorded history. All I'd have to do is start with simple advances for each specific culture, like easier to make soaps (basically lye and oil) and readily available pain medicine (like aspirin, a compound in willow bark) or "maryjane". I could also simply share the designs for once-revolutionary technology like the cotton gin, the printing press, and how to create steel and better furnaces. Even penicillin alone would be a major game changer, and it's cultivated from simple cantaloupes.

These are just some of the advances I'd introduce into each culture I encountered. I'd also focus on agricultural advances and the knowledge of more efficient staple foods that may not exist in that specific region. As in, I'd tell of the existence of things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn to the cultures that don't have them. Then I'd guide them on where they natively grow and how to use them for more than just crops (George Washington Carver's books would be instrumental with this).

Even teaching about petroleum and basic petroleum refineries isn't hard. Ok, it's hard to do it safely. But there are illegal refiners in poor countries today that use crude methods to create different petroleum products, like this:
Just look at the technology involved in those "refineries". There's nothing advanced about it, other than the metal pipes and tubes (which competent blacksmiths could also make). And even less advanced equipment is needed to make things like palm oil and modern day bricks:
So we could always start with this level of technology, then continue to add advancements to it.

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
a reply to: Zeimten

Penicillin

Just need cantaloupes and patience for this.

(Didn't see this post while I was typing my 2nd post in this thread, which also mentions penicillin.)

ETA: Here's more info on that. It seems like it's a specific strain of cantaloupe.
Making Penicillin

a reply to: Zeimten

A vehicle would be nice especially a nice fast one that can handle terrain since no roads + good bit of fuel stored in the trunk.

I thought the Romans were quite good at road building . On topic a Polaroid camera would blow their minds .

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: Zeimten

A vehicle would be nice especially a nice fast one that can handle terrain since no roads + good bit of fuel stored in the trunk.

I thought the Romans were quite good at road building . On topic a Polaroid camera would blow their minds .

That's crossing the line into pure witchcraft, man.

a reply to: Zeimten

Mid to Late 19th Century colonialists in Central Africa pulled the same trick with blank cartridges and magnifying glasses. Belgian and British agents and soldiers would fire a blank at their own man and then put a bullet through the African standing next to him. This convinced the onlookers that the white guys commanded thunder and death.

In other examples I've read, they'd use magnifying glasses to burn the skin of native Central Africans or set fires.

Maybe it's too early and I need coffee? I can't think of a particular device to give me God-like status. A helicopter gunship? A few sweaty Spaniards and a sail ship was enough to crush South America. I guess a helicopter would impress anyone in the ancient world.

Not a lot of upside to ruling the ancient world. Worms, diseases, lousy food and no decent music. Plus it was rule and custom for succession by murder so good luck sleeping with one eye open on flea-infested bedding!