There are about as many names for Christmas as there are ways of celebrating it. Some call it Xmas, which simply is an abbreviation of Christmas, as the ‘X,’ as it was originally used, isn’t an ‘X’ at all, but rather what is known as a chi-rho, an early Christian symbol for Christ on the cross. […]
The Strange History of Yule and How It Inspired Christmas Read More »
On July 15th, 1099, the city of Jerusalem fell to an army that had been besieging it for six weeks. This was a force of over 10,000 Christian crusaders from Western and Central Europe to reconquer the Holy Land from the Muslim powers who had controlled it for over 400 years. In the hours that
Peter the Hermit: The Leader of the People’s Crusade Read More »
The toys that children play with can tell a person a lot about the society involved. In Victorian Britain, the doll house became one of the most ubiquitous forms of play as the manufacture of detailed objects such as these was made possible on a large scale by the Industrial Revolution and the advent of
What Kinds of Toys Did Roman Children Play With? Read More »
Some medical cases are so strange that they almost seem to be from a science fiction novel. One such case is the story of Adam Rainer, the man who was born a dwarf and became a giant. It is a story that has fascinated doctors and scientists for years and remains somewhat of a mystery.
The Strange Story of Adam Rainer: The Man Who Was Born a Dwarf And Became a Giant Read More »
What was it like to be a slave in ancient Egypt? This is a question that historians have asked for many years, but we may never honestly know the answer. However, we know what life was like for slaves based on what we can learn from ancient texts and archaeological evidence. Enslaved people in ancient
What Was It Like To Be A Slave In Ancient Egypt? Read More »
Ireland is synonymous with several things, many imaginary, such as leprechauns or St Patrick banishing all of the island’s snakes. A more real thing associated with Ireland is stout, the black-colored, bitter-tasting ale consumed there for centuries and exported worldwide. And of all the brands of stout that one might come across, none is as
How The Guinness Brewery Signed A 9,000-Year Lease Read More »
When Julius Caesar was assassinated on the 15th of March in 44 BC, his adoptive heir and eventual political successor, Octavian, was just eighteen. Within weeks the young man was striving to gather military force to his cause as other allies of Caesar’s, such as Marc Anthony, scrambled for positions of power in the vacuum
What Life Was Like for Children in Ancient Rome Read More »
Perhaps the most peculiar aspects of Christianity today are the divisions within it. For instance, hundreds of different branches of Protestantism originated from the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. But few would dispute that Lutheranism, Calvinism, Presbyterianism, Anabaptism, or one of the other major branches of Protestantism effectively share the same origins as Roman
How the Great Schism of 1054 Split Christianity Read More »
History is littered with traitors who sold their countries or families for personal gain. But unfortunately, for some people, greed and power overrule loyalty. Every country has fallen prey to someone who has switched sides for their gain. It doesn’t matter if it’s money or political power promised to them. People have seen fit to
Ten of History’s Most Notorious Traitors Read More »
One of the significant advantages any historian of ancient Rome has is a wealth of written material that has survived from 2,000 years ago to help explain to us what the remains of the Roman Empire mean. For instance, we know how the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum ended up buried under volcanic ash because
What Was the Purpose of a Roman Dodecahedron? Read More »
