What the Barista is Brewing Today
Grab some espresso and dive in for some brewmination
Measles in Antiquity and the Middle Ages
The measles virus probably descended from the ancestors of the modern canine distemper and/or rinderpest viruses. By Dr. Louise CillersResearch FellowGreek, Latin, and Classical StudiesUniversity of the Free State Introduction Although no longer a formidable epidemic disease, measles is still responsible for up to 2 million deaths per annum – mainly among children in developing[…]
The Plague in Ancient Athens
The city-state of Sparta, and much of the eastern Mediterranean, was also struck by the disease. Introduction The Plague of Athens was a devastating epidemic that ravaged the city-state of Athens in ancient Greece in 430 B.C.E., during the second year of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.E.), when an Athenian victory still seemed within reach.[…]
Alexander the Great and the Burning of Persepolis
He looted the city and burned it to the ground. Introduction In the year 330 BCE Alexander the Great (l. 356-323 BCE) conquered the Achaemenid Persian Empire following his victory over the Persian Emperor Darius III (r. 336-330 BCE) at the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BCE. After Darius III’s defeat, Alexander marched to the Persian[…]
Persepolis, Capital of the Ancient Persian Achaemenid Empire
It was the capital from the reign of Darius I (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE) until its destruction in 330 BCE by Alexander the Great. Introduction Persepolis was the capital of the Persian Achaemenid Empire from the reign of Darius I (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE) until its destruction in 330 BCE. Its name comes[…]
The Oligarchic Coup in Athens, 411 BCE
The movement toward oligarchy was led by a number of prominent and wealthy Athenians. Introduction The Athenian coup of 411 BC was the result of a revolution that took place during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. The coup overthrew the democratic government of ancient Athens and replaced it with a short-lived oligarchy known[…]
Demos and Kratos: People and Power in Ancient Athens
Athenian democracy was indeed a direct democracy, but not for everybody. By Georgios Mavropalias A sequence of events allowed the birth of democracy in ancient Athens; the reforms of Solon which weakened the aristocracy and redefined citizenship, their reinstatement by Cleisthenes after the oligarchy reemerged, and the shrinkage of the power of Areopagus by Ephialtes,[…]
See Yourself Out: Wedding Trends That Need To End In 2020
Wedding trends are constantly changing. Remember the donut walls that were everywhere? They’ve since faded out – thank goodness – but there are plenty of other cringeworthy trends that couples and event planners need to ditch. As we head into 2020, we’ve got our eyes on sone overdone wedding trends that we’re hoping to see[…]
How Does Smoking/Vaping Affect Your Sports Performance?
VAPING AND SMOKING AS HOBBIES NOWADAYS: ALL THE WHYs? Vaping and smoking are becoming more and more popular today. People, living in the 21st century cannot spend time drinking and being on the booze for days, they use the more convenient drug for relaxation – nicotine. They can take it and still function in society.[…]
A History of Political Parties in the United States
The winning supporters of ratification of the Constitution were called Federalists and the opponents were called Anti-Federalists. The First Political Parties: Federalists and Anti-Federalists Overview The winning supporters of ratification of the Constitution were called Federalists, the opponents were called Anti-Federalists. The Federalist Era was a period in American history from roughly 1789-1801 when the[…]
The First Party System in the Early American Republic
By 1796 politics in every state was nearly monopolized by two parties, with party newspapers and caucuses becoming especially effective tools to mobilize voters. Introduction The First Party System is a model of American politics used in history and political science to periodize the political party system that existed in the United States between roughly[…]
Medical Anesthesia and Surgery in Ancient Rome
Examining the type of anesthesia and techniques employed to prepare patients for invasive surgery in ancient Rome. Abstract During the Roman Imperial period countless legionnaires received wounds and injuries requiring surgery. The principles of immediacy and expectancy emphasized that the timing of care after trauma was as important as the quality of care. The use[…]
Medicine in Ancient Rome
Treatments became more well known, and surgery became more sophisticated. By Mark CartwrightHistorian Introduction Roman medicine was greatly influenced by earlier Greek medical practice and literature but would also make its own unique contribution to the history of medicine through the work of such famous experts as Galen and Celsus. Whilst there were professional doctors[…]
How Climate Change and Diseased Helped the Fall of Rome
Understanding history can deepen our sense of what it means to be human and how fragile our societies are. At some time or another, every historian of Rome has been asked to say where we are, today, on Rome’s cycle of decline. Historians might squirm at such attempts to use the past but, even if[…]
Climate Change and the Rise and Demise of the Ancient Neo-Assyrian Empire
What caused the rise and then collapse 2,600 years ago of this vast empire centered on Mesopotamia? Introduction Ancient Mesopotamia, the fabled land between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, was the command and control center of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This ancient superpower was the largest empire of its time, lasting from 912 BC to[…]
4 Reasons to Treat Mental Illness Like We Do Physical Illness
In the United States, 46.4 percent of adults will experience a mental illness at some point during their life. Less than half of the people included in this percentage will seek out the help they need. Why are people so opposed to getting help for their mental illness? When mental health is important, why does it take a[…]
Landscape Painting in Nineteenth-Century Latin America
Works by artists like Velasco, Troya, Chartrand, and Oller offer an alternative to depictions by foreign artists. Painting Local Landscapes in Mexico Renowned Mexican landscapist, José María Velasco painted views of the Valley of Mexico more than seven times. In one of his famous versions, called the Valley of Mexico (1877), Velasco painted the valley[…]
The Skill of Inca Weavers in Their Textiles
By Mark CartwrightHistorian Introduction For the Incas finely worked and highly decorative textiles came to symbolize both wealth and status, fine cloth could be used as both a tax and currency, and the very best textiles became amongst the most prized of all possessions, even more precious than gold or silver. Inca weavers were technically[…]
A (Very) Brief History of Government since the Graeco-Roman World
One of the reasons humans prefer an organized government is that we’ve had them for thousands of years. Introduction For much of human history, people seem to prefer to live in organized groups. These groups took different forms in different times and places, but generally there seems always to have been a process by which[…]
Money and Banking in Ancient Rome
Banking was highly developed and subject to Roman Law, and money deposits were to be safeguarded and not lent out. Introduction Ancient Rome grew out of a small city state in today’s Italy to a great empire, that dominated much of Europe. Eventually, it broke apart, the Western part disintegrated, while the Byzantine Empire lived[…]
Ancient Persian Governors
Persian governors and the satrapy system established the paradigm recognizable in the present day of a central government. Introduction The Achaemenid Persian Empire functioned as well as it did because of the efficient bureaucracy established by its founder Cyrus the Great (r. c. 550-530 BCE) which was administered through the satrapy system. A Persian governor of[…]
Ancient Mesopotamia: ‘Between Two Rivers’
The ‘two rivers’ of the name referred to the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and the land was known as ‘Al-Jazirah’. Introduction Mesopotamia (from the Greek, meaning ‘between two rivers’) was an ancient region located in the eastern Mediterranean bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the Arabian Plateau,[…]
Music in the Counter Reformation
The musical changes that took place in the Counter Reformation were changes that set the precedent for church music in years to come. By Julianna Cianfano Introduction The Counter Reformation, also known as the Catholic Reformation, was about a hundred year period in Europe that aimed towards a resurgence of the Catholic Church in a[…]
Before Martin Luther, There Was Erasmus
Don’t count out Erasmus, an early proponent of similarly radical ideas. Introduction Martin Luther, a German theologian, is often credited with starting the Protestant Reformation. When he nailed his 95 Theses onto the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany on Oct. 31, 1517, dramatically demanding an end to church corruption, he split Christianity into[…]
Roman Household Spirits: Manes, Panes, and Lares
The gods were thought to have a vested interest in the health and success of the Roman state. Introduction To the ancient Romans, everything was imbued with a divine spirit (numen, plural: numina) which gave it life. Even supposedly inanimate objects like rocks and trees possessed a numen, a belief which no doubt grew out[…]
The Nature and Function of Auspicia in Ancient Roman Religion and Politics
Introduction Auspicia, the reading of birds’ behavior by religious figures, became officially accepted during the Roman Republic. The subject of Auspicia has been studied by a plethora of subjects. Academics in history, sociology and religious studies are intrigued by the development and impact of auspicia on the Roman political and religious systems. As with any[…]
Women’s Voice and Religious Utterances in Ancient Greece
Examining religious utterances such as curses, supplication, and prayer, as reflected in some passages from ancient Greek epic and tragedy. Introduction This paper tackles the issue of women and religion through a particular looking glass: religious utterances such as curses, supplication, and prayer, as reflected in some passages from ancient Greek epic and tragedy—pivotal literary[…]
The Priestess Pythia at the Ancient Delphic Oracle
The role of priestess at Delphi was enormously influential. She was consulted on everything from warfare to love to public policy. Introduction In a time and place that offered few career opportunities for women, the job of the priestess of Apollo at Delphi stands out. Her position was at the centre of one of the[…]
Habits to Avoid When Traveling
Everybody loves to travel once in a while, some in search of a new adventure, and others seek solace and reflect. Still, others may be used to traveling while for some it is a new venture. Nevertheless, whether you are a frequent traveler or a beginner in wandering to new places, here are some habits[…]
Classical Architecture in Viceregal Mexico
In the sixteenth century, cities were considered to embody an ideal of sophisticated and refined living. The Renaissance – Not Just in Italy The term “renaissance” generally invokes images of Italian cities, buildings, and artworks, rather than images of American ones. However, the renaissance had tremendous repercussions on the American continents, and its influence can[…]
The Spanish Conquest Of Mexico, 500 Years Later
The history of the Spanish and Aztecs is still strikingly visible in the center of Mexico City. By James Fredrick Five-hundred years ago, two men met and changed much of the world forever. About 500 Spanish conquistadors — ragged from skirmishes, a massacre of an indigenous village and a hike between massive volcanoes — couldn’t[…]
