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Reading List More from A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry
This is the first post in a series discussing the basic contours of life – birth, marriage, labor, subsistence, death – of pre-modern peasants and their families. Prior to the industrial revolution, peasant farmers of varying types made up the overwhelming majority of people in settled societies (the sort with cities and writing). And when … Continue reading Collections: Life, Work, Death and the Peasant, Part I: Households →
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 →
More in history
Empedocles: The Eccentric Philosopher
Known as the “Gibraltar of the East,” Monemvasia is a rocky Greek island with a rich Byzantine and Venetian history. A completely walled city, its strategic location made it an important trading port for both empires. This combination made for a unique blend of cultures whose influence can still be seen today. This article […]
“I wanted to show the whole picture of the Black Panther Party. Most of the media focused on the rallies and looked for controversy. I wanted to show what it was like behind the scenes and portray a more complete, complicated portrait of the Panthers.” – Stephen Shames photographs The Black Panthers, 1967 – 1973 … Continue reading "Photographing The Black Panthers: All Power To The People (1967 – 1973)" The post Photographing The Black Panthers: All Power To The People (1967 – 1973) appeared first on Flashbak.
The thread between ancient and modern art was entwined. Artists of the modern art period employed classical sculpting techniques, materials, and sometimes themes in the creation of their own works of art. The methods and styles used before the first millennium were never fully abandoned but were regularly recycled, thus continuing the life cycle […]
Harlesden was once a Saxon settlement. The Domesday Book calls it “Hervlvestvne”. In 1997, Harlesden was in the London borough of Brent, as it remains today. It’s when Peter Marshall was walking around the place taking pictures. Bordered by the north-west London -dens of Neasden and Willesden, Harlesden is different. In 1908, the Olympic Games … Continue reading "London’s World West: Harlesden in 1997" The post London’s World West: Harlesden in 1997 appeared first on Flashbak.
