Before modern times, how prevalent was cancer among people? Is cancer a relatively new disease or has it always been around?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Was the Megali Idea a rejection or revival of Byzantine legacy? Was there a unified view on this?

I was chatting on /r/paradoxplaza and someone suggested that the Megali Idea was a rejection of a Byzantine legacy by focusing on Greek nationalism and the establishment of a trans-Bosporus ethno-state. This was surprising to me, because the way I've always seen the Megali Idea represented was as a Byzantine revivalist movement drawing on that narrative to justify retaking Istanbul and expanding into Greek-settled parts of the Ottoman Empire.

I can see merit to both views, and while the received wisdom I can find on the internet supports the Byzantine-revivalist view, I can't find any contemporary sources or academic work talking about it.

Can any explain the ideology and narrative behind the Megali Idea for me?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Salt used to be worth its weight in gold. Now we liberally spray it onto city streets to melt ice. Where did all this salt come from?

At what point did salt become so common, that it went from being a valued luxury to something we can throw on the ground?

2 Answers 2018-02-23

Allied “invasion” of Russia in Archangel, 1918-1920

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

A couple of months ago the BBC world service came up with a documentary about the allied intervention in Russia in 1918.

As interesting as this 3 hour documentary was it left me with a lot of questions.

A few of them are; a global timeline, what happened when, were there any battles, who was fighting on which side (Red/White), Why did the allies wanted to intervene in the Russian revolution, what was the objective of landing a relatively small force in the northwest of Russia, what did they (the allies) hope to achieve with a small number of soldiers. Did the allies use any tanks, planes or ships (apart from landing the troops)

Does anyone with knowledge of this subject be so kind to respond or perhaps reference some books or other sources with information on this forgotten part of history.

Thank you very much in advance, Matt

1 Answers 2018-02-23

How good of a military commander was Alexander actually?

In u/PapiriusCursor’s excellent response to the question of Julius Caesar’s ability as a commander, it’s mentioned that Alexander was “fairly lucky, but that’s another story”. Could anyone expound upon this and tell the story?

2 Answers 2018-02-23

How did Hitler recruit his army?

Was there a Selective Service Act similar to that in the United States he enacted?

2 Answers 2018-02-23

Since the Ottoman Decline thesis has been challenged, what could be the explanation to their loss of territory and military defeats in the 18th and 19th century?

2 Answers 2018-02-23

Why Did The Roman Civil War Start?

(Apologies to the Mods if this one is a duplicate, I couldn't find anything from reddit search or google)

Specifically, I'm speaking with regards to the Civil War involving Caesar and Pompey.

I've always heard that Caesar's pursuit of offices and attempts to keep his armies to avoid being prosecuted eventually led to his clashes with the Roman Senate, which in turn led to him starting a Civil War when the Roman Senate tried to disarm him.

However, I've recently read on this subreddit that the Caesar Prosecution Theory (for lack of a better term) has relatively little actual backing and that he was never really under threat from the Senate. From my point of view, this undermines the idea that he started the Civil War to avoid prosecution by the Roman Senate (it also makes me wonder about the motivations of the people portraying Caesar as a victim there, but that's another matter, I think), but it also now means I have no idea why else it started.

So why did the Roman Civil War start?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Was Ted Kaczynski taught how to make mail bombs, or did he learn by himself?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

How did ancient generations (and generations before the Epipen) deal with severe allergic reactions?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Friday Free-for-All | February 23, 2018

Previously

Today:

You know the drill: this is the thread for all your history-related outpourings that are not necessarily questions. Minor questions that you feel don't need or merit their own threads are welcome too. Discovered a great new book, documentary, article or blog? Has your Ph.D. application been successful? Have you made an archaeological discovery in your back yard? Did you find an anecdote about the Doge of Venice telling a joke to Michel Foucault? Tell us all about it.

As usual, moderation in this thread will be relatively non-existent -- jokes, anecdotes and light-hearted banter are welcome.

10 Answers 2018-02-23

Origin of Romanians, Hungarians and Romani

So I have read a lot about the origin of Hungary, Romania and a common minority for both countries the Romani people. I just need a confirmation or a denial of what I have found.

Romania: The Romanian language comes from Vulgar Latin spoken in Roman provinces. After the fall of the Byzantine empire, the Romans mixed with Dacians and Romanian people are born.

Hungary: A nomadic tribe that arrived in the Carpathian basin from Asia around the 8th century and settled.

Romani: Originally from North-western India. Arrived in Europe around the 13-14th century when Romania was part of the Kingdom of Hungary and so they spread across the kingdom and the rest of Europe. Called Roma because in the Romani language the word for man is roma. Also called gypsy because Europeans mistakenly taught that they are from Egypt.

Am I right or is there a gap in my knowledge?

3 Answers 2018-02-23

How did hunting come to be such an important part of medieval aristocratic life?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Why was purple barely used in flags and uniforms throughout history?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

I live in the US and have only ever spoken English. How far back in time would I be able to travel and still be able to have conversations with people where we both understand one another?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

We have lots of surviving letters from Roman soldiers stationed in Britain or Egypt requesting items from their families. How would those items be sent? Was there a Roman postal service?

2 Answers 2018-02-23

How did the Fanny get turned around between Britain and America ie. the fanny pack?

Edit: wow, I posted this as a joke question expecting it to get deleted, and it turns out it’s my highest rated post

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Question about segregation

Hi guys! First post on Reddit ever! Question: Were the Green Berets segregated during the Vietnam War? Were people of non-European descent allowed at all into the Green Berets? Thanks!

1 Answers 2018-02-23

How did the people at the Art Academy Vienna react to Hitler's rise to power and the Anschluss?

Would be particularly interested if any administrative staff or the director knew about Hitler's rejection and then had to watch his "secondary career" unfold after World War I.

Bonus Question: What happened to the Academy after the Anschluss?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

What was the economy like in Roman occupied Jerusalem?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

When television shows in the 50’s show married couples sleeping in separate beds, was a that an accurate reflection of American life or an invention of television?

I’m watching “I Love Lucy” and it just occurred to me that multiple shows of that era had people sleeping in separate beds. Was this actually a wide spread practice or just something invented by television? I’ve never seen separate beds like that in real life, but I can’t claim to spend a lot of time in older peoples bedrooms.

1 Answers 2018-02-23

If a person around the year 30 were to go into a coma or loose consciousness only to be resuscitated later, would there have been any understanding of what happened or would it just seem like a life was magically brought back?

[deleted]

1 Answers 2018-02-23

In GRRM's ASOIAF, marriage is seen to occur as soon as a girl has her first period. Was this common in medieval Europe? Or did marriage norms differ from the nobility and peasantry?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

Why are people of Netherlands called “Dutch” and not “Netherlanders”?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

In his “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” Edward Gibbon often converts sums denominated ancient roman currency to his own “modern” currency (c.1776 British Pound Sterling). What method did he use for his conversions? We’re they considered accurate at the time, and how well have they held up?

Hey /r/askhistorians, basically what the title says.

An example of one of the frequent times he makes this conversation in Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Ch. 6 when Gibbon -- in a section describing the increased tax revenue brought in by Caracalla’s edict granting universal citizenship -- says:

"We are informed that, by the conquests of Pompey, the tributes of Asia were raised from fifty to one hundred and thirty-five millions of drachmas; or about four millions and a half sterling"

Google Books source

Another is shortly after that in the same chapter:

"From the faint glimmerings of such doubtful and scattered light, we should be inclined to believe, 1st, that (with every fair allowance for the difference of times and circumstances) the general income of the Roman provinces could seldom ammount to less than fifteen or twenty millions of our money"

Google Books source

Thanks!

EDIT: Is comparing ancient and modern currency even feasible?

1 Answers 2018-02-23

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