Most powerful superpower in history?

[.Mitch.]

I've been thinking, the most powerful superpower in the world was probably, the USA at the end of WW2.

I'm sure being the only country in the world with Nuclear weapons, regardless of how long it stayed that way, means they were in the position of the most powerful, influential country ever.

[Landsknecht_88]

It becomes tricky to evaluate the Roman Empire vs. that of China. Both were great powers, but neither was capable at any given time to project its power to fight the other effectively. All in all, I would say that the term superpower can't be applied to the ancient world.

I would say the British Empire at it's height. Whilst the US only had influence, the UK had far more direct power and influence. At the height of the US, it had influence over large parts of Latin America, parts of Africa and parts of Asia, whilst being allied to Europe. The UK, at it's height, directly controlled vast swathes of Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australasia; it indirectly controlled more of Asia, the Americas, Africa and Australasia and had alot of influence in pretty much every continent.

I think that one can make a good case that Britain was the strongest power in the World at its height. But I wouldn't call it a superpower. After all, on the European continent they could not hope to project their power significantly.

[.Mitch.]

It becomes tricky to evaluate the Roman Empire vs. that of China. Both were great powers, but neither was capable at any given time to project its power to fight the other effectively. All in all, I would say that the term superpower can't be applied to the ancient world.


I think that one can make a good case that Britain was the strongest power in the World at its height. But I wouldn't call it a superpower. After all, on the European continent they could not hope to project their power significantly.

Your saying that at the time when Britain has the largest empire the world had ever known, and still has ever seen. They were not a superpower...

YOU FAIL!

[Inhuman One]

Without a doubt the Roman Empire.

Many of the things they invented are still in use or where re invented many years after the destruction of the Roman Empire.

China is also a good contender considering how many things are produced there.

The USA controlls mostly the entertainment branche, mostly they just like to call themselves the most powerfull which might be more arrogance on their part than truth. They dragged half the world down into an economic crisis, thats not exactly the influence a country wants to have. The war on terrorism isnt exactly going that great either, and Bush seemed to go out of his way to offend almost everyone, causing most of the world to get a hostile attitude towards the USA. Relations seem to get a lot better with Obama though.

[Jenuensis]

Without a doubt the Roman Empire.

Many of the things they invented are still in use or where re invented many years after the destruction of the Roman Empire.

China is also a good contender considering how many things are produced there.

The USA controlls mostly the entertainment branche, mostly they just like to call themselves the most powerfull which might be more arrogance on their part than truth. They dragged half the world down into an economic crisis, thats not exactly the influence a country wants to have. The war on terrorism isnt exactly going that great either, and Bush seemed to go out of his way to offend almost everyone, causing most of the world to get a hostile attitude towards the USA. Relations seem to get a lot better with Obama though.

Yeah america ing sucks.

I'm moving to North Korea.

[DAVIDE]

If we are to go by your definition of a "a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world" then the Roman Empire does not apply. Did the Romans influence events in Ancient China or India for example?

Did Romans influence Esquimos or Maori? No. Did Romans influenced their known world at the time? Yes

[Orko]

Ermm Great Britain, seen as they owned the largest empire in history, I guess you could put them in a position of power as of that time.

33.7 million sq km in 1922

size=/=power

[Erebus Pasha]

Did Romans influence Esquimos or Maori? No. Did Romans influenced their known world at the time? Yes

Yet they knew of India and China but they had little influence on events outside of Europe and parts of the Middle East.

[PhilipO'Hayda]

Your saying that at the time when Britain has the largest empire the world had ever known, and still has ever seen. They were not a superpower...

YOU FAIL!

run by Irish peolpe for Irish peolpe and maybe abit of England helped.

[DAVIDE]

Yet they knew of India and China but they had little influence on events outside of Europe and parts of the Middle East.

The Art of Parthians - (The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies - CAIS)

[hellheaven1987]

British Empire. US is not gone to history yet so cannot include in the choice.

[Trax]

British Empire was never that powerful, sure they owned a lot of land and had a huge navy but the land army was tiny most of the time and when it reached the maximum territorial extent their economic domination was already declining.

It really doesn't compare to the recent US that had no real competitors in any field and many would say that it is still that way even today.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

Nobody thinks the roman catholic church?

at the height of its power it could influence the whole world, even though it controleld none of it. I mean it was responsible for crusades, and missions to practically every country.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

run by Irish peolpe for Irish peolpe and maybe abit of England helped.

please tell me you aren't irish

[Herakleios]

"a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world"

This is a very narrow criterion, and only the USA really fits it to be honest, as many have mentioned. Perhaps if you rephrased it as "a state poweful enough to influence events throughout those parts of the world which are accessible to it in terms of transport and communications technology", then we would have a more interesting discussion in our hands.

[Søren]

Your saying that at the time when Britain has the largest empire the world had ever known, and still has ever seen. They were not a superpower...

Yes, he's saying that Britain couldn't be called a superpower because it couldn't easily win a European land-based war. I agree with him that it wasn't a superpower comparable to the U.S., though I'd probably still call it a superpower because of it's economic and naval clout.

YOU FAIL!

Touché.

[Manuel I Komnenos]

I think that depends on each era and tis characteristics..
Alexander's Empire, Roman Empire
Early-Middle Byzantine Empire
Empire of Napoleon
British Empire

[Herakleios]

If we take into account limitations in technology, geography and communications, there are plenty that could be discussed, including ancient ones: Akkad, New Kingdom Egypt, the Hittites, Assyria, Achaemenid Persia, the Macedonian empire, Mauryan India, Rome, the Caliphate, Han/Tang China, the Mongols, Timur's empire, the Ottomans, Spain, Napoleonic France, Britain, Soviet Union, USA etc. However, the problem lies is gauging the logistical parameters within which each empire operated and which one of them managed to achieve the most power within these.

[Søren]

Early-Middle Byzantine Empire

Why? I would say that the Byzantine Empire was no more than a regional power, at any stage.

[Herakleios]

Why? I would say that the Byzantine Empire was no more than a regional power, at any stage.

Perhaps he is talking about the Eastern Roman empire, there were moments, such as Thodosius' reign, in which it controlled the whole of the old Roman empire.