So I appreciate what you're saying but the "people are people" argument... has limits.

One of the most interesting things I find about ancient history is just how _alien_ the culture must've been. The problem with a lot of historical texts is no one thinks to write down what to them is mundane or ordinary and it doesn't take long until the mundane becomes almost incomprehensible.

Thing is, you don't need to go back thousands of years to see this. Even 100 years ago you find totally different attitudes (eg the willingness to be conscripted and to volunteer to go to war).

Go back a little further and you find the culture shock to Victorian England with Pacific cultures.

My point is it can be a bit of a trap to take too much for granted in terms of a human baseline.