The cult of Athena allowed women to fully participate in the life of the city from the time they were young girls. By Dr. Joshua J. MarkProfessor of PhilosophyMarist College Introduction In ancient Athens, women had no life outside the home unless they were prostitutes or were engaged in religious activities such as festivals. Every Greek deity in every city-state had their[…]
She dressed as a man to coach her son. After she was caught, all trainers had to enter the stadium naked to prove they were males. By Dr. Joshua J. MarkProfessor of PhilosophyMarist College Introduction Pherenike (l. c. 388 BCE, also known as Kallipateira) was an athlete from Rhodes who, because she was a woman, could not[…]
Hipparchia turned the ancient Greek paradigm of women being homebound and serving men upside down. Introduction Cynic philosopher, wife of Crates of Thebes (l. c. 360 – 280 BCE), and mother of his children, Hipparchia of Maroneia (l. c. 350 – 280 BCE) defied social norms in order to live her beliefs. She is all the more impressive in[…]
Amazonomachy represents the Greek ideal of civilization. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction In Greek mythology, Amazonomachy (English translation: “Amazon battle”; plural, Amazonomachiai) was one of various mythical battles between the ancient Greeks and the Amazons, a nation of all-female warriors. Many of the myths portrayed were that of Heracles’ ninth labor, which was the retrieval of the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the[…]
There are a number of women that have had a huge impact on the history of the world, although there are some who have had a lot more power compared to some of those who have had more of an influence. For example, Rosa Parks is perhaps one of the most influential women to have[…]
Guidance on when it is sharing another culture out of appreciation and when it is appropriation. By Dr. Joshua E. KaneLecturer in Social ScienceArizona State University Introduction Fashion companies are increasingly being taken to task for selling expensive versions of traditional Indigenous dress. Gucci’s kaftans came with a US$3,500 price tag, which is far more than[…]
The advent of popular guide did much to popularize these trips and the elite considered travel to such centers as necessary rites of passage. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction The Grand Tour was the 17th- and 18th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a chaperone,[…]
The first instances of long-distance travel in the broader Mediterranean world occurred in what are today Egypt and Iraq. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction Travel in classical antiquity over long distances was a specialised undertaking. Most travel was done in the interest of warfare, diplomacy, general state building, or trade. Social motivations for travel[…]
When Emma Stone stunned the media with her engagement ring – a unique design featuring a pearl as the central piece surrounded by tiny diamond details – her choice of ring may have seemed unique but in fact the penchant for pearls hails back to olden days. These natural gems, produced within the shells of[…]
As a newspaper editor, he covered the outbreak of yellow fever; as an historian, he searched for the causes of epidemics. Noah Webster was an all-around do-gooder of the founding generation. He is remembered specifically for his blue-backed speller and the leading role he played in the creation of an American dictionary. In the speller,[…]
When Bostonians in 1721 faced a deadly smallpox outbreak, a new procedure called inoculation was found to help fend off the disease. By Dr. Mark CanadaExecutive Vice Chancellor for Academic AffairsIndiana University Kokomo By Dr. Christian ChauretDean of School of Sciences, Professor of MicrobiologyIndiana University Kokomo Introduction Exactly 300 years ago, in 1721, Benjamin Franklin[…]
He raised donations to pay local doctors to perform the procedure and to pay poor families for bringing their children. By Dr. Margaret DeLacyPresidentNorthwest Independent Scholars Association Several states now offer incentives for COVID vaccinations, hoping that enough people will sign up to drive the infection rate down and protect the entire community. When this[…]
In both ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, reflected images were thought to hold mysterious powers. By Dr. Barry MarkovskyDistinguished Professor Emeritus of SociologyUniversity of South Carolina Introduction Every human culture has superstitions. In some Asian societies people believe that sweeping a floor after sunset brings bad luck, and that it’s a curse to leave chopsticks[…]
Some Jews accepted the claim that Jesus was their messiah, while the majority did not. By Dr. Rebecca DenovaEmeritus Professor of Early ChristianityUniversity of Pittsburgh Introduction In the mid-2nd century CE, Christianity began a gradual process of identity-formation that would lead to the creation of a separate, independent religion from Judaism. Initially, Christians were one of many groups of Jews[…]
She challenged Rome by defeating the Roman prefect Tenagino Probus and conquering Egypt. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction Zenobia was a Syrian queen (240-after 274 C.E.). After her husband’s death, she became a powerful military leader in her own right, conquering both Egypt and much of the Eastern Roman Empire. The descendant of various royal ancestors, Zenobia became queen[…]
A common misconception today is that Atlas was forced to hold the Earth on his shoulders, but he was actually holding the celestial spheres. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction In Greek mythology, Atlas is a Titan condemned to hold up the celestial heavens or sky for eternity after the Titanomachy. Atlas also plays a role in the myths[…]
The core of the story of Heracles has been identified as originating in Neolithic hunter culture and traditions of shamanistic crossings into the netherworld. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction Heracles, born Alcaeus[1] (Ἀλκαῖος, Alkaios) or Alcides[2], was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.[3] He was a great-grandson and half-brother (as they are both[…]
If you think that Las Vegas is the birthplace of grandiose casinos, it’s time to go back to the history books. In fact, the oldest casino in the world is the Casino di Venezia and it dates back to 1638! What’s even more intriguing is that the casino is still in operation today and is[…]
Political anti-Catholicism gained new adherents in the 1830s that culminated in violence. By Dr. Zachary M. SchragProfessor of HistoryGeorge Mason University Former U.S. senator Rick Santorum has deservedly lost his position at CNN for his April speech in which he described all of Native American culture as “nothing.” But he made that remark in service[…]
The investiture dispute grew gradually in the 11th century between the Catholic Church and the German Salian Dynasty. By Michael GriffithHistorian Introduction The Investiture Controversy, also referred to as the Investiture Contest or Investiture Dispute, was a conflict lasting from 1076 to 1122 between the papacy of the Catholic Church and the Salian Dynasty of German monarchs[…]
Although Constantine is acclaimed as the first emperor to embrace Christianity, he was not technically the first to legalize it. Introduction Constantine I (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) was Roman emperor from 306-337 CE and is known to history as Constantine the Great for his conversion to Christianity in 312 CE and his subsequent Christianization of the Roman Empire. His conversion was motivated in part[…]
We can find no earlier evidence than Mark of a story of betrayal or this individual. Introduction Judas Iscariot was one of the original disciples of Jesus of Nazareth (d. c. 30 CE), one of the twelve apostles. For handing Jesus over to the authorities, as described in the gospels, he has become the epitome of the act of betrayal in[…]
Some of Europe’s elite began to ponder how they could get direct access to the spices of the East without paying Eastern and Arab merchants. Introduction One of the major motivating factors in the European Age of Exploration was the search for direct access to the highly lucrative Eastern spice trade. In the 15th century, spices[…]
Silk became so popular that the Roman Senate periodically issued proclamations to prohibit the wearing it on both economic and moral grounds. By Dr. James HancockProfessor Emeritus of HorticultureMichigan State University Introduction The life of wealthy Romans was filled with exotic luxuries such as cinnamon, myrrh, pepper, or silk acquired through long-distance international trade. Goods from the Far East[…]
The birth of agriculture was a pivotal moment in human history that allowed the earliest civilizations to arise in the Fertile Crescent. By Jan van der CrabbenFounder and CEOWorld History Encyclopedia Introduction The ancient Near East, and the historical regions of the Fertile Crescent and Mesopotamia in particular, are generally seen as the birthplace of agriculture. In the 4th millennium BCE,[…]
While creating wealth is an important aspect of financial planning, deciding what happens to the accumulated assets after death is equally vital. The smoothest way to transact this is by leaving behind a will, which is a legally enforced document, to make sure the right person, or persons, get their respective shares after you are[…]
The concept of “third wave coffee” was inspired by the ideas behind the three waves of feminism. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction The term ‘third wave coffee’ is a label given to coffee businesses opened after the year 2000, which share a similar mission statement or goal: to deliver high quality coffee. [1] Those who[…]
Scholars debate the precise number of democratic waves and their causes. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction In political science, the waves of democracy are major surges of democracy which have occurred in history. Although the term appears at least as early as 1887,[1] it was popularized by Samuel P. Huntington, a political scientist at Harvard University in his article published in the Journal[…]
Using the “Gish Gallop” – spouting off a series of misinterpretations and falsehoods to bury his opponent under an avalanche of fictions and distortions. By Riley BlackFreelance Science Writer Until now, I have assiduously avoided Ancient Aliens. I had a feeling that if I watched the show—which popularizes far-fetched, evidence-free idiocy about how human history has[…]
The construction of Kukulcán (“El Castillo”), like other Mesoamerican pyramids, likely reflected the common practice by the Maya. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction El Castillo, Spanish for “the castle”), known as the Temple of Kukulcán (or also just as Kukulcán), is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán. The pyramid building[…]