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Celtic Warriors, the ‘Barbarians’ of Antiquity
Our best view of the Celts in terms of written sources is the works of Greek and Roman writers. Introduction The warriors of Celtic Europe were amongst the most distinctive of any fighters in the ancient world. With their great height, long hair and moustaches, frequent nakedness, painted and tattooed bodies, and fondness for collecting[…]
The Ancient Assyrian Empire and What Made Them a Superpower
Back in the times of the early bronze era or approximately 2000 BCE (long before things such as cars, telephones, internet, video games, Intertops Casino bonus) was the empire known as Assyria. The Assyrian Empire was the largest empire of its time and lasted for almost fourteen hundred years. All in all, a long time to[…]
How To Mod-Up Your Online Gaming Experience
Gaming is among the most-engaging industries in the modern world. Fast internet speed and better gaming devices have made everyone get the urge to join the industry. Those who were already doing it are also happy because they now have access to better gaming accessories that make it easy to experiment with different games. However,[…]
The History and Legacy of ‘Black Wall Street’
Before 1921, most of Tulsa’s 10,000 African American residents lived in the vibrant district with flourishing Black-owned businesses. By Dora Mekouar Until recently, many Americans had never heard of the Greenwood District of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the largest, most prosperous Black communities in the United States that was destroyed in 1921 during what the Oklahoma[…]
“I, Too, Sing America”: Remembering David Driskell and Two Centuries of Black American Art
In 1976, the exhibition Two Centuries of Black American Art, 1750 to 1950, curated by David Driskell, debuted at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Opening the year of the Bicentennial, the anniversary of the country’s founding, the landmark exhibition was one of the first to document, in comprehensive detail, the enormous contributions of[…]
Fighting School Segregation in the North during the Civil Rights Movement
In the 1950s, Harlem mother Mae Mallory fought a school system that she saw as ‘just as Jim Crow’ as the one she had attended in the South. Introduction Whether it’s black-and-white photos of Arkansas’ Little Rock Nine or Norman Rockwell’s famous painting of New Orleans schoolgirl Ruby Bridges, images of school desegregation often make[…]
John Brown: Blazing a Moral Path for the Cautious Lincoln to End Slavery
President Lincoln was a statesman. John Brown was a radical. That’s the traditional view of how each one fought slavery. Introduction One of the most underappreciated figures in the nation’s history, John Brown, has been introduced to Americans by the Showtime series “The Good Lord Bird,” based on the James McBride novel of the same[…]
Tobacco and the Colonial American Economy
Tobacco, and the economic system of mercantilism, factored into the grievances of the colonists leading to the American Revolutionary War. Introduction The most important cash crop in Colonial America was tobacco, first cultivated by the English at their Jamestown Colony of Virginia in 1610 CE by the merchant John Rolfe (l. 1585-1622 CE). Tobacco grew[…]
A Brief History of Tobacco in the Americas
Tobacco, along with the “three sisters” (beans, maize, and squash), was among the most significant crops cultivated by Native Americans. Introduction The history of tobacco use in the Americas goes back over 1,000 years when natives of the region chewed or smoked the leaves of the plant now known as Nicotiana rustica (primarily in the[…]
Ancient Trees Show When the Earth’s Magnetic Field Last Flipped Out
The Earth is a giant magnet because its core is solid iron, and swirling around it is an ocean of molten metal. An ancient, well-preserved tree that was alive the last time the Earth’s magnetic poles flipped has helped scientists pin down more precise timing of that event, which occurred about 42,000 years ago. This[…]
Palmyra: The Fight to Preserve an Ancient Homeland in Syria
History and identity come together to tell the story of Palmyra. Introduction Born and raised in Palmyra, Syria, Waleed Khaled al-As’ad can trace his family’s lineage in the city back five generations. Now a refugee in France, he hopes to someday return to Palmyra, an important world heritage site that suffered widespread destruction by ISIS[…]
New Gaming Trends That Will Drive Online Casino in 2021
The rise in popularity of online casino games has grabbed the attention of the gaming community in recent times. After the life-changing year of 2020- 2021 promises to bring stability and current innovations together to create a more immersive gaming experience in online casinos’ virtual domain. Online casinos have recorded high e-traffic from people from[…]
The 1856 Caning of Charles Sumner in the United States Senate
It has been considered symbolic of the “breakdown of reasoned discourse” and the use of violence that eventually led to the Civil War. Introduction The Caning of Charles Sumner, or the Brooks–Sumner Affair, occurred on May 22, 1856, in the United States Senate chamber, when Representative Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery Democrat from South Carolina, used[…]
A History of Politicians Shredding Etiquette since John Adams
Manners – and civility – are an essential component of how things get done in government, and the Founding Fathers knew it. Ripping Off the Toupee In 1801, at the presidential inauguration ceremony of Thomas Jefferson, the outgoing president, John Adams, was nowhere to be seen – he was not even invited. For his part,[…]
The Interaction between ‘History’ and ‘Story’ in Roman Historiography
Facts or fiction? Post-truth in the Roman historians. Introduction This essay examines the way in which ancient historiography makes use of rhetorical and even fictional devices (dramatic poetry as well as the novel) to dramatize in writing down events which the historians obviously consider as being important for their judgement, ideologically or otherwise biased, of[…]
Time, Tense, and Temporality in Ancient Greek Historiography
An approach to Greek historiography that establishes a new angle by tackling the relationship between historiography and time. Introduction One of the most important trends in recent scholarship on ancient historiography is to explore how historical meaning is constructed through the form of narrative. This essay argues that the narratives of ancient historians can and[…]
A History of the Broadcast Fairness Doctrine in the United States
The main agenda for the doctrine was to ensure that viewers were exposed to a diversity of viewpoints. Introduction The fairness doctrine of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), introduced in 1949, was a policy that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so[…]
Censors in Ancient Rome
The censor’s regulation of public morality is the origin of the modern meaning of the words censor and censorship. Introduction The censor (at any time, there were two) was a magistrate in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government’s finances.[1] The power of[…]
‘Pontifex Maximus’ and the Soul of Ancient Rome
A distinctly religious office under the early Roman Republic, it gradually became politicized. Introduction The pontifex maximus (Latin, “greatest priest”[1][2][3]) was the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs (Collegium Pontificum) in ancient Rome. This was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion, open only to patricians until 254 BC, when a plebeian[…]
The College of Pontiffs: Priests in Ancient Rome
Membership in the various colleges of priests was usually an honor offered to members of politically powerful or wealthy families. Introduction The College of Pontiffs was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion. The college consisted of the Pontifex Maximus and the other pontifices, the[…]
Using the Internet to Vet a Law Firm
Vetting a law firm using the internet is more than just choosing between two products. It would be best if you remembered that a formidable team of lawyers, such as Wilt and Thompson, comes with an array of benefits, especially during times of trouble. Whether you want to use the firm as a mediator to[…]
18th-Century Latin American Artistic Pilgrimages to Paris
They followed a similar pattern of studying abroad for a few years and returning home to teach at an academy or establish their own studio. Introduction The allure of Paris has attracted artists from all over the world. In the 19th century, Latin American artists eagerly traveled to this artistic capital, in part because of[…]
Map of Cholula, Mexico, from the Relaciones Geográficas in 1581
The map is organized on a grid—as was the actual city it represents. Introduction In 1581, an Indigenous artist from San Gabriel, Cholula (near the city of Puebla in Mexico, then part of the viceroyalty of New Spain) created an extraordinary map that shows the main buildings and spaces of the city—all centered around the[…]
Zemis and Duhos of Indigenous Caribbean Taíno Culture
The word “zemí” in the Taíno language refers to “a spiritual and vital force pertaining to deities and ancestors. Introduction An emaciated figure looks out at us, his teeth bared and his eyes wide open. A large bowl rests atop his head. This figure, known as a zemí (or cemí), shows someone who has likely[…]
An Introduction to Indigenous Caribbean Taíno Art
The Taíno remain central to understanding the history and the cultural diversity of the Caribbean. Taíno: Natives of the Caribbean Except for a few Spanish chronicles, such as Fray Ramón Pané’s Relación de las antigüedades de los indios (An Account of the Antiquities of the Indians, 1497), there are few written records of Taíno culture.[…]
Dangerous U.S. Holidays, and Tips For Making Them Safer
Holidays are meant to be celebrated with friends and family. Whether the holiday requires you to exchange gifts, eat delicious food, dance, or swim, holidays in the U.S. can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, they can be dangerous too. It’s normal to let your hair down and relax when you’re celebrating a holiday, but[…]
The Medieval West African Trading Empire of Ghana
The early West African societies of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai all created empires that gained much of their wealth from trade. Introduction The kingdom of Ghana lasted from sometime before 500 C.E. until its final collapse in the 1200s. It arose in the semidesert Sahel and eventually spread over the valley between the Senegal and[…]
The Salt Trade of Ancient West Africa
When exactly salt became a trade commodity is unknown, but the exchange of salt for cereals dates back to prehistory. Introduction Salt from the Sahara desert was one of the major trade goods of ancient West Africa where very little naturally occurring deposits of the mineral could be found. Transported via camel caravans and by[…]
Keeping Warm in Ancient Rome
Hot drinks and early bedtimes were key to a comfortable winter. Images of Italy and the Mediterranean generally include bright sun shining on sparkling water and dusty groves of olive trees. In fact, according to Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, who wrote a 10-volume treatise on architecture in the first century, “Divine providence has so ordered it that[…]
A Trail in the Moselle Valley, Ancient Roman Wine Country
The Moselle River owes its name to the Romans, who called it Mosella or ‘little Meuse’. Introduction The Moselle Valley is Germany’s oldest winegrowing region. The Romans brought viticulture to this area and planted vines along the Moselle River 2000 years ago. After settling the region c. 50 BCE and establishing the city of Trier (Augusta Treverorum) in[…]
