I am not trying to be morbid nor am I suggesting we do this. Simply curious. Perhaps statistics on heritable diseases before and after? Intended or not I suppose.

I understand that languages change gradually and I'm just fascinated by the different versions of English. How far can we go back before our English and their English are mutually unintelligible?

I know Japan had surrendered but it seems like it was an awfully big risk for the US at the time to sail the flagship into Japan's Harbour. Even after the war there were hold outs, so how did the US counter the threat of an attack during the signing of the Japanese surrender?

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The excesses of the Church in selling indulgences is often given as a cause for resentment among the public in the century or two before the Protestant Reformation. I would have thought that either the sellers of indulgences would be seen as illegitimate, in which case their indulgences would be worthless, or they would be seen as legitimate, in which case their fees would be fair as well.

So my question is: if someone didn't believe that buying an indulgence would reduce their time in Purgatory, would they have had another incentive to purchase it? (E.g. was there some social or reputational benefit, was it a way to disguise bribes, etc.)

(P.S. I have a vague sense of the excuses given by the Church as to why they weren't technically selling time off in Purgatory, but would certainly be interested to hear more if those technicalities would affect a decision to buy an indulgence).

This one has always nagged me. Considering that gunpowder did not comprise the majority of armies until the mid-17th century, why did large-shield tactics like the testudo formation (Roman era) or shield wall (Saxon/Viking era) come into less usage in the Medieval and Late Medieval periods (from about 1066 - 1600)? Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I think of shields from the latter periods, I think of small kite shields and bucklers used by pikemen.

Large-shield formations seem to have been very effective in protecting soldiers from the damage of missile projectiles, and would have been very useful, for example, for the French in the battle of Agincourt against the English longbows. Is it even a fair thing to state that shield size and usage seemed to decrease dramatically after 1066?

Were they in a position to significantly shorten the war had the decided not to be neutral?

Why didn't they at least join the allies in '44 'or '45?

I often hear it said that the Roman republic/empire could only sustain itself and its standing army because of the constant conquests they made. Is there any truth to this at all?

If so then (while I see how a standing army is costly) I fail to see how conquering random cities is particularly profitable. Even if a conquered city is rich and literally filled with precious trading goods, wouldn't the potential gain from looting and slavery be marginal compared to the cost of the invasion and keeping the province under control later on? Or was the looting/conquest of a province really so profitable that it could fund an entire nation for years?

I recently read an interview with a woman that fought for the USSR in WW2 and is now living in Iceland. She had to fake documents to get herself out of a munitions factory line job in order to get to the front lines. Was it a policy in the Soviet Union to ban factory workers from fighting? Was it in order to stop information leaking out?

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I know that people who are paralyzed require extensive care. Besides losing mobility, they sometimes lose control of their bladder/bowels, have difficulty breathing and other health problems.

Assuming they have someone helping take care of them, could a paralyzed person in medieval times be able to survive a long period of time or would they pass soon after the injury from other complications?

Reading Anna Komnene's Alexiad, there was always one spot that stood out to me. In describing the intended blinding of Michael Anemas, she mentions an archway that has a pair of large bronze hands (referred to as "The Hands") which the procession must pass through. Before being passed, the criminal/victim may be pardoned and spared his punishment, after which there is no turning back.

I was wondering if anyone here knew where it was that this archway was in the City. Is it one of the gates leading to the Imperial palace? An area along the Mese? Any help or leads to further investigate would be greatly appreciated.

I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for good books that focus on the period anywhere from the latter portion of Franco's regime through the establishment of a new constitution and democracy (or even further).

I've read Mark Kurlansky's The Basque History of the World, which was great for that perspective. However, I'd like something that delves a little more into the politics and actual mechanics of that transition process. The little bit of information I've been able to find has been absolutely fascinating, but I was hoping to fine a more complete source that's accurate and enjoyable.

Thanks for your help!

I've recently been watching Micheal Hirst's 'Vikings' (which is fantastic), and it has thrown up a few questions about its rough time period (the 9th century, I believe).

One of which is on the subject of slave trading at the time. In the late stages of the current stages (potential spoiler alert for those who want to watch the show), the protagonist befriends a slave of Chinese-origin, who had, through a long series of exchanges (the last being the Franks), wound up in Scandinavia.

Was this common place? Did slaves from considerably distant continents and kingdoms manage to travel that far through war and exchanges? If so, how much do we know about their lives in a completely alien environment? (I predict not much, considering they were slaves)

Were men allowed to decline to take arms and fight if they were not proffesional soldiers?i.e. farmers/poets/famous artists like bards or actors: were those people allowed to refuse to take part in a war?

About women: were they conscripted too in extreme situations?

I am most curios about Europe middle ages, but other parts of the worlds are welcome to the discussion.

Thank you in advance!