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Fireside this week! Originally, I was thinking I’d talk about the ‘future of classics’ question in this space, but I think that deserves a full post (in connection with this week’s book recommendation and the next fireside’s book recommendation), so instead this week I want to talk a little about foreign policy realism, what it … Continue reading Fireside Friday, June 27, 2025 (On the Limits of Realism) →
This week at long last we come to the clash of men and horses as we finish our three-part (I, II, III) look at the iconic opening battle scene from the film Gladiator (2000). Last time, we brought the sequence up through the infantry advance, observing that the tactics of the Roman arrow barrage and … Continue reading Collections: Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle, Part III →
This week we’re continuing our three-part (I) look at one of film’s most famous Roman battle sequences, the iconic opening battle from Gladiator (2000). I had planned this to be in two parts, but even though this sequence is relatively short, it provides an awful lot to talk about. As noted last week, this iconic … Continue reading Collections: Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle, Part II →
This week, we’re going to take a close look at arguably the most famous and recognizable Roman battle sequence in film: the iconic opening battle from Gladiator (2000). Despite being a relatively short sequence (about ten minutes), there’s actually enough to talk about here that we’re going to split it over two weeks, talking about … Continue reading Collections: Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle, Part I →
Hey all, we’re doing a Fireside this week! For this week’s musing, I thought it might be worthwhile – this being a frequent space for military history – to offer a brief outline of professional military education (PME) in the United States, which is to say the various stages by which US officers are academically … Continue reading Fireside Friday, May 30, 2025 (On Professional Military Education) →
More in history
Plato’s Last Word to Dionysius JamesHoare Tue, 07/01/2025 - 08:00
We grow accustomed to the Dark — When Light is put away — As when the Neighbor holds the Lamp To witness her Good bye — Emily Dickinson They say that the glow of the sky you see at night isn’t starlight but leftover light from the Big Bang. Light is ancient and magical. Away … Continue reading "From Dusk Til Dawn: 29 Found Photos Taken In Changing Light" The post From Dusk Til Dawn: 29 Found Photos Taken In Changing Light appeared first on Flashbak.
They may be largely unknown in the modern world but in their time the Sogdians were exceptionally influential. The Sogdians were an Iranian-speaking people who originated from Central Asia (modern-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and were at the center of the Silk Road trade. Their rich, vibrant culture which abounded in Sogdian towns along trade […]
Entering the Raphael Rooms is like stepping through a portal to the heart of the Italian Renaissance. In the early 16th century, at the peak of the storied art movement, Raphael and his workshop painted a spectacular suite of papal apartments in the Vatican. The resulting frescoes exemplify the artistic achievement and aesthetic […]
