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Classical Wisdom
Weekend Quiz Lots and Lots of Love
6 months ago
TheCollector
The Secret Service of Ancient Rome (Frumentarii and Agentes in Rebus) The Roman Empire was vast and may have contained more than 100 million people at its height in the...
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
The Roman Empire was vast and may have contained more than 100 million people at its height in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. To monitor this expansive territory, enforce policy, exact taxes, and spy on prominent personages, the emperors developed what has been called a “Roman...
Dr Alun Withey
Health and the Habitual Traveller in the 19th Century Recently I’ve been contributing to a new series of stories, drawing on the archives of Lloyds’...
over a year ago
46
over a year ago
Recently I’ve been contributing to a new series of stories, drawing on the archives of Lloyds’ Register – a fantastic archive, with a wealth of sources on many aspects of maritime, but also broader social, history. The full series can be found here:...
TheCollector
The 5 Most Unique Aircraft of World War II The tumult and competition of World War II ignited innovation in military technology at an...
2 months ago
16
2 months ago
The tumult and competition of World War II ignited innovation in military technology at an unprecedented pace. The development of new technologies and doctrines spurred innovation as the combatants battled for technical supremacy on and off the battlefield. The field of aviation...
TheCollector
3 Dark Age Kings of Britain Confirmed by Archaeology Early Dark Age Britain is notorious for being poorly recorded. Most of our information about the era...
2 months ago
34
2 months ago
Early Dark Age Britain is notorious for being poorly recorded. Most of our information about the era comes from much later records, written centuries after the events they allegedly describe. There is endless debate among scholars, based on the literary evidence, surrounding the...
Flashbak
Writing Templates From A Beautiful German Printing Book, c. 1880 Created by Peter Federmann, these writing templates were for painters, stonemasons, architects and...
11 months ago
49
11 months ago
Created by Peter Federmann, these writing templates were for painters, stonemasons, architects and drawing schools. They were printed and published by J. Veith of Karlsruhe, Germany around 1880 as ‘Schriften Vorlagen zum Praktischen Gebrauche für Maler, Steinhauer, Architecten...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup The Lives of Exiles
a year ago
TheCollector
Edward I: England’s Greatest Warrior King? Throughout English history, there have seldom been many kings with the same warrior prowess as King...
3 months ago
22
3 months ago
Throughout English history, there have seldom been many kings with the same warrior prowess as King Edward I. Born as the eldest son of King Henry III and his wife Eleanor of Provence in 1239, Edward would go on to rule as king of England from 1272 until his death in 1307. Edward...
TheCollector
10 Must-See Ancient Treasures From the Ashmolean Museum Oxford University’s Ashmolean Museum is one of the world’s oldest public museums, replacing private...
2 months ago
13
2 months ago
Oxford University’s Ashmolean Museum is one of the world’s oldest public museums, replacing private cabinets of curiosity with organized displays designed to educate the public. It opened its doors in 1683 and is still open to the public for free today. The core of the original...
Open Culture
What Is Kafkaesque?: The Philosophy of Franz Kafka It’s difficult to imagine that there was ever a time without the word “Kafkaesque.” Yet the term...
4 months ago
54
4 months ago
It’s difficult to imagine that there was ever a time without the word “Kafkaesque.” Yet the term would have meant nothing at all to anyone alive at the same time as Franz Kafka — including, in all probability, Kafka himself. Born in Prague in 1883, he grew up under a stern,...
TheCollector
Trove of 100 Napoleon Artifacts Heads to Auction A vast and varied collection of artifacts—all related to the life and legacy of Napoleon...
3 months ago
20
3 months ago
A vast and varied collection of artifacts—all related to the life and legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte—is heading to the auction block at Sotheby’s Paris next month. According to Marine de Cenival, head of sales at Sotheby’s Paris, “Few collections have succeeded so well in capturing...
Patterns in Humanity
Genes and social stratification How genes affect socioeconomic success, and its consequences for society's structure.
a year ago
History Today Feed
Did Charles I Have to Die? Did Charles I Have to Die? JamesHoare Thu, 03/27/2025 - 09:06
5 months ago
TheCollector
10 Must-See UNESCO Heritage Sites in India UNESCO World Heritage Sites are globally recognized landmarks celebrated for their cultural,...
5 months ago
30
5 months ago
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are globally recognized landmarks celebrated for their cultural, historical, artistic, or environmental significance. From ancient cities and architectural wonders to biodiversity hotspots, these sites are legally protected to preserve their legacy for...
TheCollector
The Battle of Shiloh: A Battle in Two Parts The Battle of Shiloh was a complex two-day struggle in the early Spring of 1862 on the banks of the...
6 months ago
22
6 months ago
The Battle of Shiloh was a complex two-day struggle in the early Spring of 1862 on the banks of the Tennessee River near Savannah, Tennessee, in Hardin County. The movements, engagements, first-hand accounts, and secondary source material have been heavily studied since the...
TheCollector
Preacher & Religious Author: Who Was John Bunyan? Among the written works which came out of the Protestant Reformation, probably the most surprising...
5 months ago
34
5 months ago
Among the written works which came out of the Protestant Reformation, probably the most surprising is the widely popular work The Pilgrim’s Progress, a work of fiction from an untrained preacher called John Bunyan. His book was not any sort of treatise of theology; instead, it...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Sappho, Latin Literature, and more...
a year ago
TheCollector
Komnenian Restoration: The Byzantine Empire Under the Komnenos Dynasty The Komnenos Dynasty came from obscure origins to revive the Byzantine Empire after a disastrous...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
The Komnenos Dynasty came from obscure origins to revive the Byzantine Empire after a disastrous period of weak emperors and military setbacks. Alexios Komnenos took power in 1081 CE and began an astonishing reversal of the empire’s dire fortunes, continued by his descendants...
TheCollector
Disaster for Sparta! The Battle of Sphacteria (425 BCE) In 425 BCE, during the early phase of the Peloponnesian War, known as the Archidamian War (431-421...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
In 425 BCE, during the early phase of the Peloponnesian War, known as the Archidamian War (431-421 BCE), the Athenians under Demosthenes captured the Island of Pylos. The Athenian capture of Pylos posed a significant threat to Sparta by providing a prime raiding base near Spartan...
Hidden History
The 1914 Christmas Truce [NOTE: I re-run this diary every year.] The Christmas Truce of 1914 was one of the most famous...
8 months ago
65
8 months ago
[NOTE: I re-run this diary every year.] The Christmas Truce of 1914 was one of the most famous events to come out of the First World War. Some have called it the last gasp of the chivalric age of professional militaries and gentlemen officers, to be followed by the full horrors...
TheCollector
What Are the Differences Between the Different Bible Translations? There are more than 100 different bible translations available in English today, and scholars have...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
There are more than 100 different bible translations available in English today, and scholars have translated parts of the Bible into more than 3,000 languages. Many claims that the Bible has been corrupted reference different translations rather than differences in ancient...
African History...
The pyramids of ancient Nubia and Meroe: death on the Nile and the mortuary architecture of Kush a complete history of an African monument
over a year ago
Trying to Understand...
Another Of My Essays in French And some bits and pieces.
12 months ago
Trying to Understand...
The Modern World Is Boring. Where are the heroes and the adventures now?
a year ago
TheCollector
Why Did It Take Two Years for Juneteenth to Happen? The abolition of slavery in the United States is usually associated with the Emancipation...
2 months ago
28
2 months ago
The abolition of slavery in the United States is usually associated with the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in its final form by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. Juneteenth, a US federal holiday commemorating the liberation of African-American slaves in Texas,...
Flashbak
Loving Couples Posing For Studio Portraits in the 1970s Before the ubiquitous smart phone and achieving physical perfection through fillers and filters,...
7 months ago
48
7 months ago
Before the ubiquitous smart phone and achieving physical perfection through fillers and filters, anyone seeking a professional look hired a studio photographer. These portraits of couples from the 1970s are a release from all that narcissism. The lovers paid for these pictures...
Wrong Side of...
Journey to the Imperial City Travels in Vietnam, Part 2
6 months ago
Open Culture
Watch Dziga Vertov’s A Man with a Movie Camera: The 8th Best Film Ever Made Of all the cinematic trailblazers to emerge during the early years of the Soviet Union – Sergei...
5 months ago
46
5 months ago
Of all the cinematic trailblazers to emerge during the early years of the Soviet Union – Sergei Eisenstein, Vsevolod Pudovkin, Lev Kuleshov – Dziga Vertov (né Denis Arkadievitch Kaufman, 1896–1954) was the most radical. Whereas Eisenstein – as seen in that film school standard...
A Collection of...
Collections: The Journey of the Roman Gladius and Other Swords This week I want to do something a little different and discuss the evolution and development of a...
a year ago
75
a year ago
This week I want to do something a little different and discuss the evolution and development of a specific weapon, in this case the famed Roman gladius, the sword of the legions. As we’re going to see, this is going to entail a journey covering quite a bit of both time and space...
TheCollector
Tracing the Roots of Shaolin Kung Fu Back to Ancient China Shaolin kung fu, or Shaolinquan is one of the oldest extant styles of martial arts and one of the...
2 months ago
16
2 months ago
Shaolin kung fu, or Shaolinquan is one of the oldest extant styles of martial arts and one of the most influential. It has existed since the 6th century CE as a means of self-defense and exercise for Buddhist monks. Over time it spread throughout Eastern Asia. Even many modern...
TheCollector
American Civil War: Maps, Battlefields, and Generals The fighting of the American Civil War ultimately reached nearly every state in the Northern and...
5 months ago
67
5 months ago
The fighting of the American Civil War ultimately reached nearly every state in the Northern and Southern territories, with key battles fought in places like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. While Generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant led their respective armies,...
Overcoming Bias
What Priority The Innocent? It is good if criminal law avoids punishing the innocent.
8 months ago
CrimethInc.
Reports from the Festivals of Resistance / Day of the Forest Defender January 18 is the Day of the Forest Defender, honoring the life of Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán, who...
7 months ago
50
7 months ago
January 18 is the Day of the Forest Defender, honoring the life of Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán, who was murdered by Georgia State Troopers two years ago while protesting the construction of Cop City in Atlanta, and everyone else who has given their lives in the fight against those...
TheCollector
7 Misunderstood Masterpieces and the Surprising Truth Behind Them Some famous paintings are not what they seem at first glance. Some symbols and forms transform over...
2 months ago
19
2 months ago
Some famous paintings are not what they seem at first glance. Some symbols and forms transform over the years, leaving viewers unable to decode the true intentions of artists, even if it is a well-known and revered one. For example, for almost two centuries, art historians...
Open Culture
Where The Simpsons Began: Discover the Original Shorts That Appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show... When it first went on air in the late nineteen-eighties, Fox had to prove itself capable of playing...
5 months ago
30
5 months ago
When it first went on air in the late nineteen-eighties, Fox had to prove itself capable of playing in a televisual league with the likes of NBC, CBS, and ABC. To that end, it began building its prime-time lineup with two original programs more thematically and aesthetically...
Global Inequality...
How the mainstream abandoned universal economic principles (but forgot to mention it)
7 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Athens' Most Important Woman Secret Mover of History
5 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Hades The God of the Dead
a year ago
TheCollector
How King Arthur Proved His Right to Rule The incident of the Sword in the Stone is one of the most famous stories in the Arthurian legends....
a week ago
9
a week ago
The incident of the Sword in the Stone is one of the most famous stories in the Arthurian legends. This account tells how Arthur was accepted as the rightful king of the Britons. Arthur proved his right to rule by withdrawing a special sword that had been stuck in a stone. The...
TheCollector
Commodore Matthew Perry: The Man Who Forced Japan to Open Its Doors For 220 years, Japan was isolated from the outside world due to years of internal conflict and fear...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
For 220 years, Japan was isolated from the outside world due to years of internal conflict and fear of colonization by European powers. When Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay in 1853, he changed the course of history in the Pacific. The opening of Japan would have...
TheCollector
What Are the Origins of the Trojan War? Myths & Archaeology While Helen may have had the face that launched a thousand ships, the origins of the Trojan War are...
2 months ago
16
2 months ago
While Helen may have had the face that launched a thousand ships, the origins of the Trojan War are much more complex than an ill-thought-out love affair in the surviving sources for the mythological Greek battle. While it is still unclear whether the Trojan War was a real...
TheCollector
Archaeologists Find Ancient Tomb of Egyptian Military Commander The ancient tomb of a military commander has been uncovered in Egypt, reported the country’s...
4 months ago
26
4 months ago
The ancient tomb of a military commander has been uncovered in Egypt, reported the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The burial site belonged to a high-ranking leader who served under King Ramesses III, who is considered to be the last pharaoh of Egypt’s New Kingdom...
TheCollector
A Brief History of the Hungarian Soviet Republic The idea of a communist Hungary is usually associated with the Cold War that arose post-World War...
4 months ago
47
4 months ago
The idea of a communist Hungary is usually associated with the Cold War that arose post-World War II. Hungary, however, had a brush with communist leadership several decades before, in the aftermath of the First World War.   The short-lived Hungarian Soviet Republic ultimately...
Global Inequality...
To be young, perchance to dream A review of Miloš Vojinović's “The political ideas of the Young Bosnia”
8 months ago
A Collection of...
Collections: How to Roman Republic 101, Part IIIb: Imperium This is the second section of the third part of our planned five part series (I, II, IIIa) on the...
over a year ago
29
over a year ago
This is the second section of the third part of our planned five part series (I, II, IIIa) on the structure of the Roman Republic during the third and second centuries, the ‘Middle’ Republic. Last week we discussed the overall structure of the ‘career path’ for a Roman politician...
A Collection of...
Collections: Alexander Goes West (A Silly Counterfactual) This week we’re going to do something a bit silly, in part because I have to prepare for and travel...
3 months ago
51
3 months ago
This week we’re going to do something a bit silly, in part because I have to prepare for and travel to an invited workshop/talk event later this week and so don’t have quite the time for a more normal ‘full’ post and in part because it is fun to be silly sometimes (and we might …...
TheCollector
The Celts & Celtic Mythology in Popular Culture Historic cultures often inspire modern artists and are reimagined for consumption as popular...
a month ago
19
a month ago
Historic cultures often inspire modern artists and are reimagined for consumption as popular culture. The Celts are no exception. While attempts at genuine historical portrayals of Celtic history and culture are rare, the recent television series Brittania being a notable...
TheCollector
Who Are the Philistines That Appear in the Bible? The Bible presents the Philistines as notable enemies of Israel and they are involved in some iconic...
4 months ago
25
4 months ago
The Bible presents the Philistines as notable enemies of Israel and they are involved in some iconic scenes from the Old Testament. Among these are the narratives of David and Goliath, the Philistine giant warrior who was defeated by a shepherd boy, and the time when the Ark of...
Classical Wisdom
Why Was Hannibal Defeated? And What If He Had Won? The Silence of the Elephants
11 months ago
TheCollector
The Powerful Sayings of the Desert Fathers The Desert Fathers withdrew from society, embracing monastic living in the deserts of Egypt,...
a month ago
23
a month ago
The Desert Fathers withdrew from society, embracing monastic living in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. They wished to live holy lives that reflected the dedication and commitment they had to their faith. They set themselves apart, studying the Bible and spending much...