A famous saying attributed to Gorgo, the daughter of King Cleomenes I, a fifth-century BC king of Sparta. When asked by a woman from Attica, the region of eastern Greece dominated by the city of Athens, why Spartan women were the only ones in all of Greece who held such power within their polis or city-state, Gorgo […]
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Military historians who have observed the Second World War have long observed that the turning point in the conflict in Europe was the decision by Nazi Germany to invade Soviet Russia in 1941. Before this, the Nazis had conquered all before them. But, when their armies stalled outside Moscow and Leningrad in the winter of
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Some people in history have been so strange and baffling that we may never know their story. For example, Tarrare was known for his extreme hunger and bizarre eating habits. Records indicate that he had an insatiable appetite and could eat more than 20 pounds in one day. What caused his insatiable hunger? To this
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WW2 was a global war lasting from 1939 to 1945. The majority of the world’s countries, including every great power, faced off in two opposing camps: the Axis and Allies. In the end, over 70,000,000 people were dead, and large chunks of Europe and Asia were left in ruins. Test your knowledge about this great
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Only two things in life are certain, opined the great American statesman Benjamin Franklin, death and taxes. Yet these are two things that we often forget to ask ourselves about in past societies like ancient Greece and Rome. So this is not the forum for discussing how ancient taxes were levied and collected, but rather
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Undoubtedly one of the things that the Romans were most famous for was their baths. Unlike nearly all earlier civilizations that the archaeological evidence suggests were not overly concerned with personal hygiene, the Romans gave over large spaces in every city and town they built to public spaces where people could go and clean themselves.
What Was Personal Hygiene Like in Ancient Rome? Read More »
The modern world is unusual compared to almost all other societies in its approach to drug use, intoxication, and altered states. Other than those that pharmaceutical companies utilize, most narcotics today are illegal in nearly all jurisdictions. Alcohol, one of the most dangerous narcotics known to humanity, is the only narcotic generally freely available in
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The Middle Ages must be the most misunderstood period of human history. Often, people view it as a period during which people lived in poverty and society largely stood still, waiting for the Renaissance to come and pull them out of squalor. This wasn’t the case. There were distinct periods in medieval Europe. First came
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Even though Ching Shih was only active as a pirate for about nine years, she certainly earned the “World’s Most Successful Pirate.” Also known as Zheng Yi Sao and Shi Yang, she was born in 1775 to a family of humble means. When she turned 26, she married a pirate named Zheng Yi. After he
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Isolated in the Venetian Lagoon, Poveglia Island is a place that has long been shrouded in mystery. Geographically, it’s just a few miles from Venice, Italy. The island has a long and dark history, dating back to the Roman Empire. Over the years, it has served many purposes, but ultimately it ended up abandoned and
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