The Praetorian Guard are famous for both protecting emperors, and murdering them.

An organisation able to overthrow emperors was obviously large, but what was the size of it when compared to the normal Roman army?

I know this is a broad question, so I'll narrow it down to the reigns of Pertinax and Septimius Severus.

Thanks!

I remember reading about this guy before on reddit but I really want to read more about him.

He was a guy of below average intellect in the 1800's I believe. He somehow kept making the dumbest business ideas ever. Like selling cats to sailors and stuff. With every dumb business decision he had always won out and become highly successful due to his weird business methods.

I don't remember what his name was or anything. I was really hoping someone here knows who I am talking about. It had been about a year since I read about him and am suddenly interested in reading about him again.

I've heard the date fall of the Roman Empire has been disputed, but if we could discuss what happened to the Roman people throughout that would be helpful. I saw an article in the Atlantic today that put the fall 1,538 years ago. Thanks!

This is something I've been wondering recently. Were Catholics welcomed in the Byzantine Empire after the Great Schism? Or were they seen as heretics?

What is the history of the word Huguenot?

There are many words in English -- usually words that end in "-us" that people will often pluralize (sometimes incorrectly) with the Latin style "-i" rather than making it an irregular plural of simply adding an "s". When did this become a popular trend?

Reading these books in a modern context, it seems like Agamemnon is a dick, Odysseus is a hero, Hector is a kind and benevolent ruler, Poseidon is an antagonist, etc. Did Homer intend characters to be "good" and "bad?" Are my conceptions based more on the translation or or were these traits intended in ancient Greek?

If people like Dante, and I would assume most educated men of the time knew of Plato, then why is Plethon credited for reintroducing Plato to the west?

Is it simply that Plato was known but his texts lost? Or is the importance of Plethon's contribution exaggerated to highlight the supposed transition from medieval to renaissance Europe?

I'm aware that in the UK they use the red poppy. Are there any others from around Europe?

In many WWI and WWII movies and shows the soldiers spend a lot of time with their helmets on but not buckled. Sometimes they will do something and then immediately unbuckle it. Maybe everyone in war is much cooler than me, but I would keep that thing buckled at all times, it seems like they would fall off. Did troops really not buckle it or was that just a Hollywood thing to get a better view of the actors face?

My apologies for my poorly worded question and any offense it may cause.

I'm currently reading Jack Kerouac's novel "On the Road", I was baffled by the fact that a book written in 1951 would contain the following line

"Dean had a sweater wrapped around his ears to keep warm. He said we were a band of Arabs coming to blow up New York."

This must be rooted in some historical or cultural event that predates modern arab/islamaphobia and associated prejudices. Can anyone offer any insight?