"Roman climate optimum" what is this?

Question

I have seen a number of references to this here, but a Google search seems to show the term only on denier sites, I couldn't find a history related reference to the term.
One of the highest links in the google search was this,
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/1965996.htm
This also is a transcript of a climate skeptic using the term.
Does anyone have a real history or archeology site that references or details the term.

Dana1981 · Accepted Answer

I've also only heard this term referenced by "skeptics".  It's used to try and argue that the current warming is a natural cycle, because there was the Medieval Warm Period about 1,000 years ago, and then this supposed 'Roman Optimum' about 1,000 years before that.

However, neither was a particularly significant warm period on a global scale (though they may have been in localized areas).  For example, the MWP was basically a series of different localized warming events in geographic different locations at different times.  The so-called Roman Optimum was probably a warm period in Europe, supposedly lasting until 150 BC.
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7x.html

It doesn't really show up as much in the global temperature proxy data though.
http://globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Holocene_Temperature_Variations_Rev_png

It's just a weak argument with little supporting data to try and argue a weak alternative theory to man-made global warming.

? · Answer

Climate changes all the time. The human race has only been able to progress to a technological society and to achieve a very large population as we have been able to take advantage of a fairly long warm time, such as has happened between Ice Ages. Before this when climate changed, it affected water precipitation and so the growth of plants and where wild creatures - food - lived. People had to move if their current home became unable to feed and shelter them, or they died out. Violent weather would also make some places uninhabitable. We may be more successful in surviving as we have science to aid us, but nature has a way of showing us how feeble are our efforts at world control. Currently we face a severe problem with the loss of bees in some parts of the world. I do not know if climate change has any effect on this or not. We can cut down on our use of energy unnecessarily and hope this prevents some of the more extreme changes, but if global warming is what we may call a natural event, then it will happen whatever we do and we shall have to learn to cope with it,

antarcticice · Answer

I saw and commented on the question you seem to be referring to 
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgM3bDcYPeCV15v7s8a6ItQ6HBh.;_ylv=3?qid=20081204045453AAohsLW
The climate record clearly shows the MWP it also shows the period through 0 - 400AD the end of the Roman civilization it shows some warming around 100AD but as I said in the original question it was cooler then, even at the peak of this "optimum", than today and even the MWP period is cooler than the average we have today.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:2000_Year_Temperature_Comparison.png

CrazyConservative · Answer

The IPCC report had used it in their 2nd summary. It showed a distinct period of warmer climate than today from around 1000AD to 1400 AD. However, once Mann introduced the hockey stick, the IPCC quit using the original temp graph (of course once Mann was discredited, they never reintroduced the original). Also, you can look at evidence such as the Nordic settlements which are being revealed because of the melting glaciers. There is also evidence in South America that their glaciers were smaller during this period. Other evidence would be the wineries in parts of the earth which are now to cold to support the vines. The evidence is rather compelling when you look at all of it. The reason you do not see it on pro AGW sites is it really destroys much of their arguments about the earth being warmer now than ever before in recent history. If it was warmer then and they did experience all the ill effects proclaimed to be about to happen, why would we expect to see these calamities now (polar bear dying, species going extinct, flood, drought, etc).

Anonymous · Answer

Here are some studies retrieved in about 10 minutes on google, yahoo search just does not get the good science sites very well.

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7x.html
Dr. Michael Pidwirny, Associate Professor 
Unit 2: Biology and Physical Geography
Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
University of British Columbia Okanagan
3333 University Way
Kelowna, British Columbia
CANADA V1V 1V7

http://anthropology.unc.edu/french/he/hebook.html
The Historical Ecology of Global Climate Change 
Brief summary of Historical Ecology a Multidimensional Ecological Orientation 
In: Cultural Knowledge and Changing Landscapes. Chapter 1, Carole Crumley 
Santa Fe: School of American research, 1996

http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2007AM/finalprogram/abstract_129560.htm
2007 GSA Denver Annual Meeting (28–31 October 2007) 
Paper No. 215-7  
Presentation Time: 3:00 PM-3:15 PM 
 
PALEOCLIMATE VARIATIONS FROM 0 TO 12.3 KA BP INFERRED FROM THREE COEVAL CALCITE AND ARAGONITE SPELEOTHEMS FROM MARENGO CAVE, INDIANA, USA 
ZHANG, Ren, SCHWARCZ, Henry P., FORD, Derek C., and BEDDOWS, Patricia A., School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada, zhangr7@mcmaster.ca 

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0169555X06000031
Copyright © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 
A debris flow calendar derived from sediments of lake Lago di Braies (N. Italy) 

References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.

R. Irmler, a, , G. Dauta and R. Mäusbachera

aFriedrich–Schiller-University Jena, Physical Geography, Institute of Geography, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany

http://ff.org/centers/csspp/library/co2weekly/2005-06-09/roman.htm
The Roman Warm Period and Dark Ages Cold Period in China

http://www.co2science.org/scripts/Template/MainPage.jsp?Page=BrowseCatalogEnlarged&sProductCode=v8n21c3

Reference
Yu, K.-F., Zhao, J.-X, Wei, G.-J., Cheng, X.-R., Chen, T.-G., Felis, T., Wang, P.-X. and Liu, T-.S.  2005.  δ18O, Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca records of Porites lutea corals from Leizhou Peninsula, northern South China Sea, and their applicability as paleoclimatic indicators.  Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 218: 57-73. 

http://www.kolumbus.fi/tilmari/some200.htm
Timo Niroma:
Sunspots: The 200-year sunspot cycle is also a weather cycle.

A 2000-year historical perspective. 

http://ff.org/centers/csspp/library/co2weekly/2005-03-31/midevil.htm

The Medieval and Roman Warm Periods in Scandinavia 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reference
Hormes, A., Karlen, W. and Possnert, G.  2004.  Radiocarbon dating of palaeosol components in moraines in Lapland, northern Sweden.  Quaternary Science Reviews 23: 2031-2043. 

http://www.icms.com.au/inqua2007/abstract/691.htm
Environmental change in the Danish Baltic during the Roman Warm Period inferred from mollusc data

Kaj Petersen, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark 
Peter Rasmussen, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark, Denmark 
David Ryves, Department of Geography, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK, United Kingdom

Anonymous · Answer

There was no such thing as a "Roman climate optimum."  Non sequitur, Norman coordinate.  There was no such thing as a "MWP."  Non sequitur, Norman coordinate.  There was no such thing as the "PETM."  Non sequitur, Norman coordinate.  There was no such thing as the "Holocene Maximum."   The only thing that is real is the IPCC.

BB · Answer

Crazy conservative's submission is right on spot.

Dana's submission is a Warmer's typical feeble attempt to discredit information that undermines the religious dogma of AGW.

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"Roman climate optimum" what is this?

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