Context: According to historical accounts, the Byzantine Emperor Leo III tricked the Umayyad commander Maslama into burning his own army’s grain supplies by promising a peaceful surrender once the food was gone. Leo then refused to surrender, leaving the Arab forces to face a devastating famine and a brutal winter that ultimately broke the siege.
From now on, whenever I do something that is, in hindsight, and, indeed, foresight, utterly stupid, I shall console myself with the thought that, no matter how stupid my choice, at least It wasn’t “burn your own grain” stupid.
That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard. Why would “we’ll capitulate once you give up your leverage” ever be entertained as a serious offer, in any context? You’d have to be an absolute moron to fall for it.
US Democrats during the most recent shutdown kinda fell for it, too.
Israel has lots of success with that strategy to this very day.
Sometimes people who are committed to their word don’t understand that others are more committed to other things
There is some sense to it - insofar as besieging armies occasionally did destroy their own supplies in order to force their own troops to commit to a (usually costly) assault on the besieged location. Thus, “I want to convince my nobles to surrender, but they think you’re just going to wait out there and that they can outlast you. They need to think you’re going to storm the walls soon if we want them scared enough to entertain the idea of surrender” is a legitimate thought…
… but that’s a lot of fucking faith to put in one’s literal fucking enemy XD
Be fair. Their food was terrifying. that stuff makes baby Gordon Ramsey cry
“Nobody could have foreseen this”
What an example of the credible commitment problem, doubled with an Uno Reverse.
Have you been watching William Spaniel’s new lecture series too?
Not a lecture series, but I will admit to watching pretty much every video he has on YT. Where is the lecture series published?
Oh! He just started doing it on Lines on Maps Extra. https://www.youtube.com/@LinesonMapsExtra
Three episodes so far. I think it’s basically his undergrad course in youtube form. Pretty good so far!
Direct playlist link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ZYys3u9TI&list=PLyehzZZktIjB7aRZC1GLFpBh3BwO8UMxx
Ohhh, I had missed that, thanks! Conveniently I will be riding a train for 4 hours tomorrow.
psych
