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TheCollector
How Was Food Preserved Before Fridges? Fridges have become an almost indispensable necessity in many households in the modern world. This...
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Fridges have become an almost indispensable necessity in many households in the modern world. This is because they keep food fresh by maintaining a cool environment. The cool temperatures in fridges help to prevent the growth of microorganisms that cause food decay. That said,...
TheCollector
How the Great Fire of London in 1666 Completely Transformed the City Few man-made disasters before the 19th century have caused as much damage or reformed a city as much...
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Few man-made disasters before the 19th century have caused as much damage or reformed a city as much as the Great Fire of London did in 1666. Not only did the fire cause untold damage, devastation, and carnage in the city, but it also helped to change the way that buildings were...
TheCollector
Philopoemen: The Last Great General of Ancient Greece Philopoemen (253-183 BCE) was a strategos (general) of the Achaean League during a turbulent period...
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Philopoemen (253-183 BCE) was a strategos (general) of the Achaean League during a turbulent period of conflict with Sparta. While he has been overshadowed by great generals such as Hannibal, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar, Philopoemen was regarded as one of the most...
TheCollector
How Georges Méliès Brought Magic to the Movies In the earliest days of cinema, when pictures moving at all was still shocking, one visionary saw...
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In the earliest days of cinema, when pictures moving at all was still shocking, one visionary saw the fantastical possibilities of this exciting new technology. Artist, magician, inventor, and director Georges Méliès created worlds filled with magic and adventure that...
TheCollector
The Evolution of the Samurai (From the Kamakura to the Edo Period) The samurai of feudal Japan are well known in popular culture, yet the popular image of a samurai is...
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The samurai of feudal Japan are well known in popular culture, yet the popular image of a samurai is merely a snapshot of centuries of evolution for this mighty warrior class. Here we will explore how the samurai developed from the beginning of their rule in the Kamakura Period....
A Collection of...
Collections: Life, Work, Death and the Peasant, Part I: Households This is the first post in a series discussing the basic contours of life – birth, marriage, labor,...
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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...
TheCollector
What Are the 5 Biggest Islands in the World? Less than 30 percent of the world’s surface is covered in land, yet this is still a massive amount...
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Less than 30 percent of the world’s surface is covered in land, yet this is still a massive amount of space that humans have sought to explore and exploit. Included in all this land are around 200,000 islands.   From the icy Arctic to the tropics, here are the five biggest...
TheCollector
The Theban Elite Army of Lovers Who Defeated the Mighty Spartans Active in the 4th century BCE, the Sacred Band was an elite military unit composed of 150 pairs of...
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Active in the 4th century BCE, the Sacred Band was an elite military unit composed of 150 pairs of male lovers. The central idea was that by placing each soldier alongside his beloved, they would fight more fiercely, to both protect one another and to avoid dishonoring themselves...
TheCollector
The Real Story of Henry V, England’s Warrior King Few monarchs have captured the imagination of a nation as much as King Henry V (r. 1413-22). The...
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Few monarchs have captured the imagination of a nation as much as King Henry V (r. 1413-22). The inspiration behind hundreds of books, plays, and movies, the nine-year reign of this English monarch is deemed as one of the most successful not just of any English king, but of any...
TheCollector
What Are the Oldest Human Records and Writings? Humans have been making records of their activities for thousands of years. We have developed...
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Humans have been making records of their activities for thousands of years. We have developed various systems of writing from various cultures, and several came about independently of one another. From paleolithic records to Chinese lettering, we take a closer look at some of the...
TheCollector
Alexander the Great’s Legendary Horse: Who Was Bucephalus? Bucephalus is undoubtedly one of the most famous horses in history. After Alexander the Great tamed...
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Bucephalus is undoubtedly one of the most famous horses in history. After Alexander the Great tamed the horse, the two became inseparable, with Bucephalus accompanying Alexander on his legendary Persian campaign, carrying his master into the battle and sharing his victories....
TheCollector
How Dante Gabriel Rossetti & John Everett Millais Founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Even though they have been linked together by history, the English artists John Everett Millais and...
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Even though they have been linked together by history, the English artists John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti were two very different artists with two very different personalities. While Rossetti’s artistic output conveyed sweeping emotion and mystical fantasy,...
TheCollector
The Powerful Sayings of the Desert Fathers The Desert Fathers withdrew from society, embracing monastic living in the deserts of Egypt,...
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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...
TheCollector
How Did King Richard III Become King? Richard III is best known from Shakespeare’s biographical play and for his likely involvement in the...
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Richard III is best known from Shakespeare’s biographical play and for his likely involvement in the deaths of his nephews. However, his personality and the way he is portrayed in the play and in historical documents have long been questioned.  In the last decade, he has come to...
TheCollector
Why the Battle of Badon Can Change What We Know About Dark Age Britain Early Dark Age Britain is shrouded in mystery since there are very few surviving sources about it....
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Early Dark Age Britain is shrouded in mystery since there are very few surviving sources about it. The Arthurian era, broadly the late 5th century through most of the 6th century, is a subject of particular interest to many. This was the era that saw one of the most significant...
TheCollector
Saladin’s Youth Forged the Sultan Who Defied Crusaders Saladin (born Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub) can be credited with almost single-handedly changing...
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Saladin (born Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub) can be credited with almost single-handedly changing both the Muslim and Western worlds during the Crusades in the 12th century. By bringing together various Islamic sects and through his principled leadership, he was able to defeat the...
TheCollector
3 Legendary Migrations That Shaped Pre-Roman Britain Ancient and medieval writers were thoroughly interested in stories of the origins of nations....
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Ancient and medieval writers were thoroughly interested in stories of the origins of nations. Countless surviving legends deal with how nations came to be, often connecting them to gods or famous characters from mythology. In the case of Britain, there was more than just one...
Flashbak
1960s London Through A Russian Horizont Panoramic Camera We’ve been to East London in the 1960s with Tony Hall before, heading down the pub and to the shops....
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We’ve been to East London in the 1960s with Tony Hall before, heading down the pub and to the shops. Now we get to see the streets in panoramic pictures taken by his Horizont (Горизонт) camera. Made between 1967 and 1973 by Russia’s Krasnogorsky Mekhanichesky Zavod (KMZ), the...
TheCollector
Medieval Battles Marked by Stunning Underdog Victories Medieval battles were brutal, blood-soaked grind. Clever tactics and strong leadership often...
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Medieval battles were brutal, blood-soaked grind. Clever tactics and strong leadership often mattered, yet true upsets happened only when the weaker side found an edge. Whether better weapons, better tactics, knowledge of the terrain, or an unbreakable esprit de corps. The...
TheCollector
Can the Real King Arthur Be Identified as Athrwys of Gwent? The search for the real King Arthur has occupied historians for centuries. Often, arguments center...
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The search for the real King Arthur has occupied historians for centuries. Often, arguments center on the idea that a real historical person was the inspiration for the legendary king. Once candidate proposed by scholars is Athrwys of Gwent, the son of King Meurig. Since the late...
TheCollector
The Incredible Life of Cicero, Rome’s Greatest Orator & Last Senator A novus homo, no one expected Marcus Tullius Cicero to reach not only the rank of consul, but be...
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A novus homo, no one expected Marcus Tullius Cicero to reach not only the rank of consul, but be hailed princeps senatus, in the dying years of the Roman Republic. He championed Rome’s republican traditions while strongmen such as Pompey Magnus and Julius Caesar were dismantling...
TheCollector
What Did the Hittites Write About the Trojan War? The Trojan War is the subject of Homer’s Iliad, composed in the 7th century BCE. This was one of the...
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The Trojan War is the subject of Homer’s Iliad, composed in the 7th century BCE. This was one of the most popular pieces of literature in the ancient world, and it remains so to this day. Many researchers have attempted to demonstrate that it is fundamentally rooted in historical...
TheCollector
How the Plantation of Ulster Transformed Irish Society The Plantation of Ulster was a major colonial enterprise that transformed a formerly rebellious...
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The Plantation of Ulster was a major colonial enterprise that transformed a formerly rebellious province into a stronghold for the British Crown in Ireland. The process of how Ulster became Protestant saw the native Gaelic Irish population being evicted in favor of English and...
Flashbak
Jürgen Schadeberg: Happy Hour Flashbak: What makes a good photograph? Jürgen Schadeberg: Content, composition and training.     In...
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Flashbak: What makes a good photograph? Jürgen Schadeberg: Content, composition and training.     In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Jürgen Schadeberg (18 March 1931 – 29 August 2020) was often in pubs and bars in Glasgow, London, Cambridge, Berlin, Hamburg, Johannesburg, New York,...
TheCollector
Which Is the “Better” Sword? Katana vs Longsword Among martial arts enthusiasts and certain internet circles, a fierce debate rages: between the...
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Among martial arts enthusiasts and certain internet circles, a fierce debate rages: between the knightly longsword and the Japanese katana, which is the better sword? Both two-handed swords were used by a warrior-noble class as their sidearm, both depicted at various times as the...
TheCollector
How the Illyrians Became Rome’s Fiercest Enemies in the Balkans The Illyrians were a mosaic of tribes spread across the western Balkans, a region defined by...
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The Illyrians were a mosaic of tribes spread across the western Balkans, a region defined by dramatic coastlines, mountain strongholds, and cultural complexity. From their earliest traces in the Bronze Age to assimilation into the Roman Empire, the Illyrians remained a distinct...
Trying to Understand...
The Long And The Short Of It. Or, in defence of nuance.
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TheCollector
What Is the Venice Biennale? History, Highlights, and Global Art Impact Every other year, Venice transforms its winding network of canals into a citywide art gallery. The...
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Every other year, Venice transforms its winding network of canals into a citywide art gallery. The Venice Biennale is often referred to as “the Olympics of the art world.” It is an international art festival that includes a curated main show, dozens of national pavilions, and...
TheCollector
What Was the Significance of Egyptian Pharaohs? The Pharaoh was the king of Egypt, particularly following the unification of Upper (Southern) Egypt...
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The Pharaoh was the king of Egypt, particularly following the unification of Upper (Southern) Egypt with Lower (Northern) Egypt by Narmer/Menes around 3150 BCE. That was until the Roman Republic conquered Egypt in 30 BCE under the rule of Caesar Augustus (Octavian).  The title is...
History Today Feed
‘Saudi Arabia: A Modern History’ by David Commins review ‘Saudi Arabia: A Modern History’ by David Commins review JamesHoare Wed, 07/09/2025 - 08:54
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TheCollector
The Unknown Artworks of Kahlil Gibran Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) is one of the most widely read and translated writers of the 20th century....
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Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) is one of the most widely read and translated writers of the 20th century. His visual art work was an inextricable part of his life and literary career, but is often overlooked. Described as mystical and ethereal, Gibran’s artworks give form to the...
TheCollector
Australia’s Pearl Harbor: History of the City of Darwin Although World War II history often focuses on the more dominant players, such as England and...
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Although World War II history often focuses on the more dominant players, such as England and Germany, the contributions of Australia and its people cannot be underestimated. Nearly one million Australian men and women served in the conflict. The war even came to Australia...
TheCollector
Get to Know the Ainu, Japan’s First People The Ainu, native to the region of Hokkaido, are one of the oldest indigenous people in Japan. Their...
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The Ainu, native to the region of Hokkaido, are one of the oldest indigenous people in Japan. Their unique culture, language, and history predate the creation of modern Japan and set them apart from the rest of the country.   Located in northern Honshu, Hokkaido, and parts of the...
TheCollector
How the Egyptians Celebrated the Pharaoh During the Opet Festival From the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BCE) to the Ptolemaic Kingdom (305-30 BCE), the bond between the...
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From the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BCE) to the Ptolemaic Kingdom (305-30 BCE), the bond between the Egyptian pharaoh and the god Amon-Ra was celebrated at the Temple of Luxor (Thebes). Once a year, Amon-Ra traveled from his principal Karnak Temple (ipet-sut, “the most revered...
TheCollector
How Portugal Conquered the Indian Ocean Spice Trade The dawn of the 15th century marked the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Age of...
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The dawn of the 15th century marked the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Age of Exploration. In this century, the Portuguese would expand their reach beyond Europe and North Africa thanks to explorers like Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama. A great trade in spices...
TheCollector
The 6 Most Important Church Councils in Christian History Christian history has seen many Church councils where matters of doctrinal concern have been...
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Christian history has seen many Church councils where matters of doctrinal concern have been discussed and clarified. Some, like the First Vatican Council which established the doctrine of Papal Infallibility when speaking ex-cathedra, have little bearing on Christianity as a...
TheCollector
How Did Simone de Beauvoir Redefine Gender? In her magnum opus, The Second Sex, 20th-century philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously proclaimed...
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In her magnum opus, The Second Sex, 20th-century philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously proclaimed that “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”. At a time when female identity was exclusively determined on biological grounds, she sought to redefine gender away from...
Flashbak
Saul Steinberg Draws A Line Into Your Brain “When I make a good image, it enters into your brain like a word you didn’t know and stays there in...
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“When I make a good image, it enters into your brain like a word you didn’t know and stays there in such a way that you can’t remember how you thought about this topic beforehand.” – Saul Steinberg   Many of us first encountered Saul Steinberg (American, born Romania, 1914–99)...
History Today Feed
The Battle for Britain’s First Book of the Month Club The Battle for Britain’s First Book of the Month Club JamesHoare Tue, 07/08/2025 - 08:23
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TheCollector
The Battle of Lugdunum Was the Largest Battle in Roman History On New Year’s Eve 192 CE, the Roman Empire’s Golden Age, almost a century of political tranquility,...
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On New Year’s Eve 192 CE, the Roman Empire’s Golden Age, almost a century of political tranquility, came to an abrupt and violent end. A protracted period of civil war followed as various men sought to fill the void left by the imperial dynasty that died with Commodus. This...
TheCollector
What Is Christian Mysticism? (Definition, History, Practices) When you think of Christian mysticism, the obvious probably comes to mind: exorcisms, contact with...
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When you think of Christian mysticism, the obvious probably comes to mind: exorcisms, contact with the beyond, or supernatural powers. But this is just a small part of it. What lies beyond these surface-level phenomena is a world of contemplation, communication with God, divine...
TheCollector
What Did “Noble Death” Mean to Greeks and Romans? Death was an ever-present part of life in the ancient Mediterranean. However, it manifested itself...
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Death was an ever-present part of life in the ancient Mediterranean. However, it manifested itself in very different ways according to social class and status. Whilst death simply meant passing into total obscurity for most of the population, for the aristocracy, it could be an...
Classical Wisdom
Technological ‘Miracles’ Of Ancient Greece Which Marvel Matters Most?
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TheCollector
What Was the Temple in Ancient Judaism? (Purpose & Significance) The Temple in Jerusalem was the structure that replaced the Tabernacle the Israelites traveled...
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The Temple in Jerusalem was the structure that replaced the Tabernacle the Israelites traveled around with throughout their sojourn in the desert. For 40 years, and even after that, from when the Israelites conquered the promised land until their third king was crowned, the tent...
TheCollector
How Did Dutch Golden Age Art Demonstrate Protestant Values? The art created throughout the Dutch Golden Age shone a light on the lives of ordinary individuals....
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The art created throughout the Dutch Golden Age shone a light on the lives of ordinary individuals. This art not only represented everyday commonplace activities but also demonstrated the values, morals, and expectations of a Calvinist/Protestant life.   Domestic Settings of the...
TheCollector
Traitors or Survivors? The Tlaxcalans and the Conquest of Mexico Many see the fall of the Aztec Empire and the subsequent conquest of Mexico as a result of the wit...
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Many see the fall of the Aztec Empire and the subsequent conquest of Mexico as a result of the wit and boldness of Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors’ endeavors. However, without the help of Tlaxcalan warriors, the Spanish never would have taken the great city of Tenochtitlan....
TheCollector
How Is Nature Portrayed in Shakespeare’s Macbeth? William Shakespeare is known worldwide for his mastery of the English language as a poet and...
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William Shakespeare is known worldwide for his mastery of the English language as a poet and playwright, as well as an actor. Not the least of these contributions is the introduction of close to 1700 words we now use regularly. Among his common themes of love, loss, grief, and...
History Today Feed
‘Language and Social Relations in Early Modern England’ by Hillary Taylor review ‘Language and Social Relations in Early Modern England’ by Hillary Taylor review JamesHoare Mon,...
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TheCollector
7 Famous Cubist Artists Who Achieved Greatness Cubism was one of the most radical art movements of the 20th century. Emerging in Paris, Cubism was...
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Cubism was one of the most radical art movements of the 20th century. Emerging in Paris, Cubism was both influential and polarizing, leaving no one indifferent. Discover the principles and evolution of the movement through the works of seven famous Cubist artists who shaped the...
TheCollector
How Medieval Japan’s Fusion of Buddhism and Shinto Created Shinbutsu-Shugo The religious beliefs of any society both reflect and underpin the daily lives of people from all...
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The religious beliefs of any society both reflect and underpin the daily lives of people from all walks of life. When one culture assimilates another, there is often conflict between old and new beliefs. Japan has a long-established tradition of taking elements from other...