Especially through outfits, architecture, weapons, tools, etc.

It's always sort of baffled me that Australia was only "discovered" by Europeans in the 1600's. How is it that no ships from the massive maritime trading routes throughout Indonesia got there millennia earlier? What was stopping them?

Did they just see it as something which was shiny and didn't rust, and didn't place much value on it beyond decoration? Or did it have value well before the conquistadors arrived? I'm well aware of the European value for gold, but I'm interested in knowing the Aztecs view of it before the Wests devastating contact with them.

We hear a lot about American slavery but was it ever a thing in Europe?

Right now there are, I believe, five former/current presidents alive. Has this number ever been higher? If so when and who made up the list?

Hi all,

So, the Romans had many legions, for example Legio X Fretensis, with their own symbol, a bull, a ship, Neptune and a boar - which were references to battles / campaigns etc.

And we know of more modern armies doing the same thing, for example the Coldstream Guards being the oldest British regular army regiment in continuous service (1650-date).

However, did other armies do the same?

Were specific units decorated (much like individual soldiers)?

I just find it odd that I haven't personally seen any references to unit names.

I guess the Macedonians had the Hypaspists and the Spartans had units like the Perioeci.

I find it very interesting and would love to know more, could anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks

EDIT - Grammar

Nowadays it seems like NRA and anti-gun proponents inevitably rise up and clash after terrible episodes like Columbine and Sandy Hook (and then sadly dissipate). Did such strong debates happen after RFK, JFK and MLK Jr? Did anything result from it? Or were society's attitudes about guns different back then?

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If I recall college correctly, I was taught that the Romans essentially idolized the Greeks, as shown by the Romans copying the Greek's religion and a lot of their artwork. More recently, I was told the Romans actually looked down upon the Greeks. They saw them as manipulators, liars and a lazy people who were not fit for combat. This claim was backed up by a source that looks pretty dubious to me, so I figured I'd ask here. What were the Roman's attitude toward the Greeks?

Did the Roman's attitude change towards Greece as Rome grew? For instance, did the Romans of the Republic period think of the Greeks differently than the Romans of the Empire period?

Also, I know the Western half of the Empire (ie, the Byzantine Empire) was predominantly Greek, and I'd imagine they may have had a significantly different view of themselves than the Eastern Empire may have. Is this the case?

I've played a lot of RPG's and wargames that prominently feature blackpowder weapons, most seem to include malfunction, explosion being the most common, as a mechanical nerfing, but I was wondering how unreliable blackpowder actually was, especially if used by someone who was skilled in its use?

I'm lucky enough to have a grandmother who is interested in genealogy, and she found that one of our earliest family members to arrive in America came as a soldier from England, but appears to have deserted almost immediately and started a family in New York City.

I love knowing that one of my ancestors came in such a dishonorable, yet totally understandable way, essentially getting a free ride to a new country on King George III's ten pence. I'm curious how common that story was, and how easy it would be for a British soldier to desert and start a new life in New York unnoticed.

Thank you for your time. I always love reading AskHistorians and this is the first question I've thought of that I haven't seen answered (though there have been answers about the high rate of Hessian and mercenary desertion).

How real to life are the sword fights we see in film and TV such as Game Of Thrones? I have always thought they must be inaccurate due to safety concerns for the actors.

It seems to me that a lot of ancient religions were polytheistic, like the Greek pantheon of gods, why were monotheistic religions unheard of until Judaism?

I want to do a thing about copyright and want to use it as a Jumping off point (three cheers for public domain) but afraid of getting the edition that is like "Don't be stupid be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi Party!"

Would you be able to tell me of editions that have Hitlers intent come though, while also informing about the references that he uses?

I have a feeling that this is not the right subbreddit for this question, however I need an academics advice and knowledge to make sure I go down the right road, With a book like this, I'm sure you can understand why.