I've started outlining my master's thesis in history/cultural exchange. I really want to take a closer look on the exchange of ideas between India/China and Rome/Ancient Greece. I'm not 100% set on a time period, but if there are enough sources I want to concentrate on the classical period. Most of the literature I've found is popularized or unreliable - any tips (books, primary sources, articles) would be most welcome!

I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that long-term uses such as monument inscriptions or government records pre-date this.

In school i learned the the League of Nations biggest flaw was that it had no army, but the UN has one, yet after WW2 it was only USA participated in major wars. I feel like they are a bit useless. How is the UN helpful, and are there any significant actions they took?

If I want to get to know FDR best, what should I read?

Could you even consider the two religions to be the same? Or is Germanic Christianity noticeable Pagan?

I'm currently studying spanish and have come to learn a lot about the history of the spanish moors and the arab influence on the entire culture. One of my more interesting findings, was that in the development of the spanish language as we know of it today, there were huge arabic influences on nouns more specifically. Typically you create words for things you don't have words for, interestingly enough the word al-kuhool (alcohol) came from arabic, which is strange seeing as though alcohol is taboo in the islamic culture. Are there any other instances you can think of which stood out to you or you found interesting?

If Caesar did crunch the numbers himself, where did he get his mathematical education? If not Caesar, who did design the calender? Were there are attempts to reform the calender before Caesar?

I mean during the stalemate. Between the start of trench warfare in 1914, to the breakthrough in 1918. How far did the front line deviate from its initial placement during the Battle of the Aisne in September1914? 50 miles? 100?

During the middle-ages, the Islamic world reigned as one of, if not the most educated, technologically advanced and progressive society in the world. They were known for preserving ancient Greek science and philosophy, as well as discovering new ideas and making new inventions, leading to the renaissance in Europe.

The old Islamic ideas of education, acceptance of others (Mehmed II) and scientific advancement seem to have been lost to the islamic world, or at least left unmentionned as a driving force of modern Islamic states. Why has this occured? What was different in Islam that has led to not having a sort of renaissance to return to the "glory days" like Europeans had to return to the Roman/Greek times.

Is Islam still in a sort of dark ages, or am I completely off-base?

How would the discipline training and effectiveness of battlefield discipline differ between the medieval period and modern day soldiers? Was there any kind of 'breaking down' training done in the medieval period?(I read about Templar being forced to spit on their crosses to show them what it would be like if captured, was this type of training common?)

I know it's a really broad question, so to narrow somewhat; how would a the discipline standards differ from an average English man-at-arms in the campaign before Crecy differ from an average American infantryman in Iraq?

It's commonly taught in schools that Caligula was a madman. He appointed a horse to the senate, etc.

I heard recently, however, that Caligula did these things as a way of mocking the senate, and that it was intended as satire. Years later, however, the joke is lost, and out of context Caligula appears insane.

Sounds a bit dubious to me, but I figured why not go to the experts?

I know that it was for racial reasons and to also not alienate the white vote, but I don't think that politicians would just come out and say it.

Which elements of the daily life of the Third Reich are generally thought of having been created by national socialists but had already existed during the Weimar republic?

I've had a look at a couple of Fritz Lang's films from the end of the Weimar period. Some of the visual feeling in the movies, including clothing, gadgets and office furniture, looks stereotypically Nazi to me but was actually something you could already see a few years before Nazis came to power.

For instance, there were long leather coats that I had thought hadn't generally been used in Germany prior to the Nazi period. I suppose that's merely a popular culture cliché.