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History Today Feed
Europe and the End of Old Java Europe and the End of Old Java JamesHoare Mon, 06/16/2025 - 06:00
2 months ago
TheCollector
The Controversial Story of Olympias, Alexander the Great’s Powerful Mother Jealous, vengeful, cruel, foreign, and with a fondness for snakes, Olympias has often been portrayed...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Jealous, vengeful, cruel, foreign, and with a fondness for snakes, Olympias has often been portrayed as a malevolent figure. More than two thousand years after she lived and died, it is impossible to know what she was actually like, but the actions of the mother of Alexander the...
Classical Wisdom
Weekly Wisdom Quiz From Macedonia to the Moon
2 months ago
TheCollector
4 Notorious Roman Emperors and Their Scandalous Stories Evolving from the Roman Republic, Rome became an empire in 27 BCE and seemed to be off to a good...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Evolving from the Roman Republic, Rome became an empire in 27 BCE and seemed to be off to a good start with Augustus, who had a posthumous reputation for a high moral character and effective rule. Some Roman emperors seem to have followed in his footsteps, such as the “five good...
Flashbak
American: Robin de Puy’s Portraits of People of Notice “You can’t lump all Americans together,” she points out. “The project emerged from this thought. Who...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
“You can’t lump all Americans together,” she points out. “The project emerged from this thought. Who lives in America? Who are we talking about when we refer to ‘the American’?” – Robin de Puys   In 2015, Dutch photographer Robin de Puy drove 8,000 miles across the US on a Harley...
TheCollector
10 Must-See Medieval Castles in Japan Medieval castles in Japan originated during the Sengoku period (1467–1603), a time of relentless...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Medieval castles in Japan originated during the Sengoku period (1467–1603), a time of relentless civil war when regional warlords, or daimyō, fortified strategic sites to defend territory and assert power. Unlike European castles, these structures evolved into complex hubs of...
Dreams of Space -...
My Weekly Reader April 9, 1962 My Weekly Reader for April 9, 1961 is now YOUR weekly reader! Just a minor article about space...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
My Weekly Reader for April 9, 1961 is now YOUR weekly reader! Just a minor article about space medals, so look and see!
Global Inequality...
Too much or not enough of Ricardo? Review of “Ricardo’s Dream” by Nat Dyer
2 months ago
TheCollector
Was Charles VI of France Truly Mad or Misunderstood? Few monarchs have caused so much controversy among historians as Charles VI of France (r....
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Few monarchs have caused so much controversy among historians as Charles VI of France (r. 1380-1422). Charles VI is perhaps most well-known for his losses during the Hundred Years’ War and for turning the tide in favor of the English. However, should we be looking at his reign in...
A Collection of...
Collections: Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle, Part II This week we’re continuing our three-part (I) look at one of film’s most famous Roman battle...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
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...
Flashbak
July 12 in Northern Ireland, 1987–1998 Much has changed in Northern Ireland Mike Abrahams took these pictures, including the Good Friday...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Much has changed in Northern Ireland Mike Abrahams took these pictures, including the Good Friday Agreement and a return to power sharing. “I am not a news photographer,” says Abrahams to Cafe Royal, which has published a zine of his pictures of July 12 celebrations, “there are...
Classical Wisdom
The First EVER Sci-Fi Novel? An Ancient Journey to the Moon
2 months ago
TheCollector
How Did Nubia Shape Ancient Egypt? The ancient Egyptians were known for disliking, or even despising, foreigners. In art and texts,...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
The ancient Egyptians were known for disliking, or even despising, foreigners. In art and texts, they often depicted their closest neighbors—the Libyans, Asiatics/Canaanites, and the Nubians. Of those, they perhaps had the most complex relationship with the Nubians. The Egyptians...
Flashbak
All 41 Plates From Evelyn Waugh’s Victorian Blood Book, Durenstein! Among the papers left behind by the English writer Evelyn Waugh (8 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) is...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Among the papers left behind by the English writer Evelyn Waugh (8 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) is a so-called Victorian Blood Book. This large rectangular decoupage scrapbook of 41 plates bound and wrapped in marble endpapers is remarkable, strange and unsettling, with echoes...
TheCollector
11 Essential Movies to Watch to Understand Film Noir Film noir is a genre of stylish American crime movies that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, pushing...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Film noir is a genre of stylish American crime movies that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, pushing boundaries as they explored the darker side of humanity. These films feature some of Hollywood’s biggest Golden Age actors in labyrinthine plots that take them through the darkened...
History Today Feed
A Royal Skeleton in the Chapel A Royal Skeleton in the Chapel JamesHoare Thu, 06/12/2025 - 07:00
2 months ago
Flashbak
Ralph Eugene Meatyard : Masks And Dolls American photographer Ralph Eugene Meatyard said that masks erased the differences between people.  ...
2 months ago
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American photographer Ralph Eugene Meatyard said that masks erased the differences between people.     One day in 1958 or ’59, professional optician and “dedicated amateur” photographer Ralph Eugene Meatyard (May 15, 1925 – May 7, 1972) bought a few dozen masks in a branch of...
TheCollector
Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Weaving Athena was one of the most beloved and complex gods in the Greek pantheon. She was an arbiter of...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Athena was one of the most beloved and complex gods in the Greek pantheon. She was an arbiter of justice and the goddess of war, a patron of peaceful crafts and protector of the state. To modern audiences, she is best known as the goddess of wisdom, yet this association was not...
Classical Wisdom
How Calypso Helped Odysseus... Homer's Women: Podcast with Emily Hauser
2 months ago
TheCollector
What Do We Actually Know about Hieronymus Bosch? Unlike some artists, Hieronymus Bosch was famous in his own time and inspired a generation of...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Unlike some artists, Hieronymus Bosch was famous in his own time and inspired a generation of artists with his groundbreaking style and unusual subject matter. Even in his pieces that seem more straightforward and less fantastical, Bosch often wove in nuanced layers of meaning,...
History Today Feed
‘Miracles and Wonder’ by Elaine Pagels review ‘Miracles and Wonder’ by Elaine Pagels review JamesHoare Wed, 06/11/2025 - 07:00
2 months ago
Trying to Understand...
Politics Without Purpose. And its consequences.
2 months ago
TheCollector
The Qin: How One Dynasty United Ancient China Few dynasties have had the cultural or historical impact that the Qin Dynasty had. China has a rich,...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Few dynasties have had the cultural or historical impact that the Qin Dynasty had. China has a rich, varied, and sometimes complex history—but it all had to start somewhere. The Qin Dynasty was ancient China’s first imperial dynasty, and its legacy meant that China would be ruled...
Flashbak
When Sly Stone Traded His New Album For Cocaine Sly Stone (March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025) was frontman for the brilliant Sly and the Family Stone...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Sly Stone (March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025) was frontman for the brilliant Sly and the Family Stone (formerly Sly and the Stoners). The audacious and playful musician behind such infectious funk-rock-soul hits as the often-sampled hit Everyday People (1969), the gospel-influenced...
TheCollector
New British Museum Book Celebrates Hiroshige’s Lasting Legacy A new exhibition and publication bring to life the work of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
A new exhibition and publication bring to life the work of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of Japan’s most popular and prolific artists. Hiroshige: artist of the open road presents a rarely seen range of prints, paintings, books, and sketches. It is the first-ever exhibition...
History Today Feed
Renaissance Florence’s Missing Bronzes Renaissance Florence’s Missing Bronzes JamesHoare Tue, 06/10/2025 - 08:18
2 months ago
TheCollector
Battle of Manzikert: Byzantine Empire vs Seljuk Empire Continuous Seljuk raids and sieges in Anatolia in the 11th century CE culminated in a war between...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Continuous Seljuk raids and sieges in Anatolia in the 11th century CE culminated in a war between these nomadic newcomers and the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman, Empire. When the Seljuk sultan, Alp Arslan, and the Byzantine emperor, Romanos IV Diogenes, met on the fields of...
Flashbak
Before And After: Polaroids then Magic from Richard Avedon, In the American West “Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is… the human predicament;...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
“Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is… the human predicament; only what I consider the human predicament may simply be my own. ” – Richard Avedon, photographer of In The American West     During the making his opus In The American West (1979 –...
TheCollector
How Caravaggio’s Dramatic Use of Light Revolutionized Baroque Art Caravaggio’s dramatic chiaroscuro technique revolutionized Baroque painting. His use of light and...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Caravaggio’s dramatic chiaroscuro technique revolutionized Baroque painting. His use of light and shadow as an expressive technique inspired countless artists and transformed the history of art. Instead of mathematical precision, the famous artist aimed for emotional impact....
Classical Wisdom
Macedonia Before Alexander the Great Were the Macedonians Greek?
2 months ago
TheCollector
How Did People Survive the Little Ice Age? Human resilience shines during the Little Ice Age, a period of intense cooling from the 14th to 19th...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Human resilience shines during the Little Ice Age, a period of intense cooling from the 14th to 19th centuries. Europe, Alaska, and the North Atlantic battled severely low temperatures. While the exact cause is unclear, theories range from volcanic activity to changes in Earth’s...
History Today Feed
‘The Alienation Effect’ by Owen Hatherley review ‘The Alienation Effect’ by Owen Hatherley review JamesHoare Mon, 06/09/2025 - 09:05
2 months ago
TheCollector
The Myth of Morgan le Fey: The Witch of Arthurian Legend Morgan le Fey, or Morgan le Fay, is a character who appears in many versions of the Arthurian...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Morgan le Fey, or Morgan le Fay, is a character who appears in many versions of the Arthurian legends and is a popular character in modern retellings. She is famous as an evil sorceress who schemed against King Arthur throughout his life. In reality, she was more complicated than...
Classical Wisdom
Weekly Wisdom Quiz Money, Myth, and Madness
3 months ago
TheCollector
How to Gain Power as a Medieval Woman For medieval women, carving out a place of power was exceedingly difficult. For hundreds of years,...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
For medieval women, carving out a place of power was exceedingly difficult. For hundreds of years, medieval women and their stories were overlooked and forgotten. However, a select few managed to gain power for themselves in the form of influence or money. These extraordinary...
Flashbak
The Minox Files: The Spy Camera Photos “I like the timelessness of the photos. Of course, I am a bit of a dreamer and somewhat poetic....
3 months ago
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3 months ago
“I like the timelessness of the photos. Of course, I am a bit of a dreamer and somewhat poetic. Distance and proximity are also what my photos are about” – Mark van den Brink     Walter Zapp [O.S. 22 August] 1905 – 17 July 2003) produced the lightweight, aluminium Minox pocket...
TheCollector
8 Cambodian Temples that Aren’t Angkor Wat The Hindu-Buddhist Khmer Empire stretched across what is now known as Cambodia, and you can see...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
The Hindu-Buddhist Khmer Empire stretched across what is now known as Cambodia, and you can see numerous relics from this incredible empire today. The most popular and famous is Angkor Wat, but when you visit Siem Reap and beyond, you’ll find fantastic ruins that rival anything...
Dreams of Space -...
My Weekly Reader November 6, 1961 It is your Weekly Reader for this week of November 6, 1961. Here is the space flight news of this...
3 months ago
TheCollector
How the Treaty of Kanagawa (1854) Ended the Tokugawa Shogunate After Commodore Matthew Perry visited Japan and cajoled the Tokugawa Shogunate to establish...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
After Commodore Matthew Perry visited Japan and cajoled the Tokugawa Shogunate to establish commercial and diplomatic relations, Japanese society was riven by divisions between modernizers and traditionalists. The modernizers eventually triumphed in the Meiji Restoration of 1868,...
Classical Wisdom
The Revolution To Come ***New Event: June 19th @ 11:30am EDT
3 months ago
TheCollector
The Roman Myth of Aeneas, Lavinia, and the King Who Started It All The figure of Aeneas of Troy first appears in the Homeric epics of Greek mythology, but he emerges...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
The figure of Aeneas of Troy first appears in the Homeric epics of Greek mythology, but he emerges as a central figure in Roman mythology, described most thoroughly in Virgil’s Aeneid. In Roman legends, Aeneas is involved in the founding of Rome. He is said to have become a king...
A Collection of...
Collections: Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle, Part I This week, we’re going to take a close look at arguably the most famous and recognizable Roman...
3 months ago
36
3 months ago
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...
Flashbak
A Mid-Century Day At The Beach in Rochester, Upstate New York These photos were taken on the beaches of Rochester, the city on Lake Ontario, in Upstate New York....
3 months ago
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3 months ago
These photos were taken on the beaches of Rochester, the city on Lake Ontario, in Upstate New York. There’s something especially right about looking at pictures from Rochester, what with it being home to The George Eastman Museum, sited on the estate of the Kodak founder. The...
TheCollector
Son of a Witch! Greg Houle on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Few historical events fascinate modern audiences as much as the Salem witch trials of 1692, which...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Few historical events fascinate modern audiences as much as the Salem witch trials of 1692, which saw more than 200 people accused and 19 people executed for witchcraft. But what underlying factors allowed the witch trials to happen in 17th century Massachusetts, and can we...
Classical Wisdom
Money and the Ancient World Thoughts from Plato, Aristotle and more!
3 months ago
TheCollector
Solon: The Athenian Lawmaker Who Shaped Ancient Democracy Solon was considered by Plutarch and many other ancient authors as one of the seven wise men, or...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Solon was considered by Plutarch and many other ancient authors as one of the seven wise men, or sages, of Greece. He became famous as a statesman but was also a philosopher and poet. He came to power in Athens in the early 6th century BCE when the city was in political and...
Flashbak
New York City Streets by Al Jaffee “Photographs are born of the positives and negatives accumulated in a lifetime.” – Al Jaffee  ...
3 months ago
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“Photographs are born of the positives and negatives accumulated in a lifetime.” – Al Jaffee   Brooklyn-born Jay Jaffee (1921 – 1999) takes us to a New York City of energy, isolation, emotion and ambition. His sublime black-and-white photographs evoke stories in their textured...
TheCollector
10 Must-Visit Museums in Texas Texas preserves its past in ways that reflect the scale and complexity of the state itself. From the...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Texas preserves its past in ways that reflect the scale and complexity of the state itself. From the borderlands to the Gulf, and from the Hill Country to the Panhandle, its history includes Indigenous nations, Spanish colonization, independence from Mexico, statehood, war,...
History Today Feed
Cannibal Crusaders Cannibal Crusaders JamesHoare Thu, 06/05/2025 - 09:05
3 months ago
TheCollector
The Origins of Agriculture: How We Domesticated Crops and Livestock For much of our history, humans have sustained themselves through hunting and gathering wild plants...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
For much of our history, humans have sustained themselves through hunting and gathering wild plants and animals. However, our trajectory changed around 12,000 years ago when agriculture emerged as humans began to domesticate livestock and crops, permanently altering our...