New to this sub, so I'm not sure how to phrase the question...

I'm an amateur bowyer, so I like to recreate bows and arrows from the past. The problem is my lack of knowledge of European cultures. I'd like to start building a series of bows from my own ethnic past, using the correct woods and designs, and maybe understand how they evolved.

Anyway, the family from my father's side comes from rural northern Italy, my mother's is Germany but it would be hard to trace back with the mix-matched Germanic tribes. Where would a northern Italian have come from historically? Mostly interested in Bronze and Neolithic civilizations as anything later in Europe is generally just the simple "English style" longbow.

Sorry if this question is vague or hard to answer definitively.

Why have beards traditionally been part of some sects of abrahamic religions? I know that orthodox Judaism, eastern orthodox Christianity and Islam all have beards as part of their religious tradition. What brought about these traditions (was it scriptural or just adopted custom)? I'd be glad to clarify my question if needed

so i was planing on watching Vietnam war movies with my friends. naturally we got curious and wanted to know what's the most accurate Vietnam war movie made?

Can anyone here comment on the book's credibility, reliability, and accuracy?

Were they simply related to the landowner? Did they just apply while wondering the country? Where did they come from?

Nowadays there are a myriad of journals in all sorts of topics, some more respected than others. To perform and publish research at such a level requires not only a number of qualifications but also a specific set of methods. How did we come to the standards of today, is there such a thing as "history of research methods and standards?"

I always thought that Roman cognomina (is that even correct?) ending in '-anus' or '-ianus' meant that the man had originally come from one gens, but was adopted by another. The most famous example I know is the Emperor Augustus, born as Gaius Octavius, who was called Gaius Julius Octavianus after adoption by Julius Caesar.

Reading about the Flavian emperors, though, I don't see the same pattern:

• First, we have Vespasian, born as Titus Flavius Vespasianus, but not originally from any Vespasius family. 'Vespasianus' seems to come from his mother's name, Vespasia Polla.

• Second, we have Titus, so known to distinguish him from his father Vespasian, since they have the same birth name, Titus Flavius Vespasianus. Okay, that makes sense - lots of Romans have the same name as their father.

• Third, though, we have Vespasian's second son Domitian, born as Titus Flavius Domitianus. Why Domitianus? It seems to come from his mother Domitilla. But wait, Domitilla was Titus' mother, too. So why is Titus called 'Vespasianus', but Domitian called 'Domitianus'? Why do they have different cognomen at all? Why isn't Domitian instead distinguished with a different praenomen, say hypothetically, Gaius Flavius Vespasianus?

My guesses for why this might be are:

1. I have the wrong idea about cognomina, and they could have been chosen for a variety of reasons, including simple parental preference.

2. It was not unusual to take a cognomen based on your mother's name.

3. Being given the same name as your father was a method of demonstrating that you were his successor. It seems that Titus was definitely Vespasian's "heir," and Domitian was left to the side.

4. Naming conventions shifted between the 1st Century BC, when Octavian was adopted, and the 1st Century AD, when Vespasian gives his sons two different cognomen.

5. Many aspects of why individual Romans have certain cognomina are still not well-understood.

6. Some combination of the above.

Are any of these correct? I appreciate any insight anyone can provide!

EDITED for some grammatical clarity.

I recently visited the Winter Palace and was surprised that so many costumes, relics and other various artefacts of the Romanov dynasty had survived.
Were the majority of items smuggled out and protected by loyal Tsarists, or was saving them an active decision by the Communist Party?

I was just thinking that this would throw up a question over who was legitimately the first in line for the throne. Then I got to thinking about probabilities and assumed it mist have happened before. Was wondering if it had and, if so, what had happened?

It's my understanding that historians and archaeologists suspect that there are a lot of post ice age settlements currently under water just off the shores of the Mediterranean, the British Isles, etc. The receding glaciers melted and sea levels rose, submerging incredible amounts of fascinating evidence of prehistoric civilization.

Is this an overblown hope? Are there projects and technologies being developed that can enclose and drain an area for study? Would such a project be fruitless due to erosion or decay, or would the water preserve better than conditions above?

The first professional author of fiction, so to speak. Someone who made a living from writing fiction only. Please do not include people who is already wealthy but make enough from writing to live on.

Its the worlds only superpower but how did the only superpower become where it is today. There are states with gdps bigger than most countries. The nilitary is the worlds best. American culture dominate the world. How did 13 colonies reach this level of success in only a couple hundred years.

I'm an Athenian citizen who needs to consult the Oracle of Delphi. What is the best way to get there? What should I take with me?

How did the fashion for the large Elizabethan collars originate? Some of the ruffs/collars are so large that the person's head looks like it is being served on a plate.