Please Be Aware: We expect everyone to read the rules and guidelines of this thread. Mods will remove questions which we deem to be too involved for the theme in place here. We will remove answers which don't include a source. These removals will be without notice. Please follow the rules.
Some questions people have just don't require depth. This thread is a recurring feature intended to provide a space for those simple, straight forward questions that are otherwise unsuited for the format of the subreddit.
Here are the ground rules:
Top Level Posts should be questions in their own right.
Questions should be clear and specific in the information that they are asking for.
Questions which ask about broader concepts may be removed at the discretion of the Mod Team and redirected to post as a standalone question.
We realize that in some cases, users may pose questions that they don't realize are more complicated than they think. In these cases, we will suggest reposting as a stand-alone question.
Answers MUST be properly sourced to respectable literature. Unlike regular questions in the sub where sources are only required upon request, the lack of a source will result in removal of the answer.
Academic secondary sources are prefered. Tertiary sources are acceptable if they are of academic rigor (such as a book from the 'Oxford Companion' series, or a reference work from an academic press).
The only rule being relaxed here is with regard to depth, insofar as the anticipated questions are ones which do not require it. All other rules of the subreddit are in force.
Did the concept of jurisdiction exist in medieval times? Could, for example, a German criminal escape to England and avoid justice? (provided he commits no crime in England)
i asked this in its own thread but it was deemed to be "basic information" and suggested I post it here.
Was "Napoleone" a common name before the rise of a certain Corsican? Did his contemporaries ever comment on him having an odd or unusual name?
How did they simulate combat in wargames? In modern times, I've read they can use technology similar laser tag, but how did they do it back in history, for example during the Louisiana Maneuvers? How can two divisions fight in a field exercise? Who determines who wins or how were casualties be calculated?
What was Alexander's Empire referred to while he was alive? I usually see it listed as "Alexander's Empire", but what precise name would it have generally been accepted to be called, in Greek, at the time? Was it just "Makedonia" (transliterating because I'm too lazy to copy and paste)?
[The mods bonked me to here. Although i disagree with that, i will respect it.]
I have been trying to find the oldest human that we know anything about (So i am not counting those random names from mesopotamia). Oldest one i could find was "Hedju Hor" - A possibly fictional Pharaoh from Lower Egypt from before 0. Dynasty. His culture is known as "Naqada II".
Are there any older "records"? Thanks up front for the answer!
[By the way i have already read the FaQ and i didn't find an answer there.]
During the Middle and Early Modern Ages Venice controlled significant territories along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. But they never had any land along the western coast. Why? Why zero interest in one side of the Adriatic when they clearly loved controlling the other side?
What's the latest evidence of Pagan gods being worshipped in Rome? (the city)
Has the term Squaw always been racist and an ethnic slur? I'm mostly familiar with the term by older books who use the term like they would use the word "wife". What's the accurate word for a Native American "woman of the house"?
What did 1800s-1900s American courtrooms/town halls probably smell like?
Did Vlad III Dracula of Wallachia eat any form of yoghurt?
I was hit by a bout of curiosity on ancient India. I searched for ancient Indian topics on /r/AskHistorians and was disappointed by the lack of good results. There's even no South Asia section on the subreddit FAQs!
Anyway, does anybody know about the credibility of Wendy Doniger? I saw her writings being recommended by people from within (and without) this sub, but she seems controversial. The reviews of her most famous book on GoodReads are concerning
Does anyone have a better book/writers recommendation on ancient(pre-Gupta) Hinduism?
Why did slavery increase during the period 1400-1780 and then decrease after 1780 and finally end?
I'm reading "History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon, abridged. In the book, the author mentions the strategic positioning of Roman Legions around the Empire. To quote:
"two in the Lower and three in the Upper Germany; one in Rhætia, one in Noricum, four in Pannonia, three in Malaysia, and two in Dacia." (Gibbon 4)
I'm aware of all these provinces at this time. However I'm stunting on "Malaysia". The modern day Asian nation of Malaysia is a European - Asian mixed country with a predominantly abrahamic faith so I wouldn't be surprised if it's etymology was European in origin.
Issue is, I can't find anything about that. Does someone know what this means? Was this a Roman province, a city, an ethnic group with some sort of regional hegemony, etc?
Would most accountants in early 20th century England have been university-educated? If not, what education/training would they have received for their profession?
I would like to be (regularly) informed/updated about new findings and insights in Late Antique - Early Medieval history. Where do I look?
I was wondering if the city of Kalmar got it's name from Squid (Calamari) or vice versa. And if not, where the word comes from?
I'm trying to research the culture, society, and economy of Fujian during the Republic of China era (1912 - 1949). I also just learned that I have access to JSTOR through my university! (Hooray!)
Are there any recommendations for references with details on specific provinces during that time? Or - better yet - any search advice for a new person to JSTOR? (My search queries are like "Republic of China Fujian" or "Fujian 1912 - 1949", and they bring up a ton of topics that aren't totally relevant to my needs.)
Has an ambassador or a diplomat ever been significantly important in the course of history?
could kamakura period o yoroi or haramaki be penetrated by any weapons of that time other than arrows or the “mail piercer” dirk?
Nowadays it is common, if not traditional, for Popes to publish some books or other documents.
Exactly how many of the 266 Popes do we have no surviving writings from?
I've been reading a lot of Israeli history, starting with Hillel Cohen's 1929, through Morris' 1948, and now finishing Oren's 1967.
Are there similar books about the 1970, 1973, or 1982 wars?
Origins of the intense intraservice rivalry of Imperial Japan's Army and Navy?
Did they recruit from traditionally opposed regions & families and that transformed into the military rivalry?
I recently watched the 2015 horror movie "the vvitch". After doing some reading, apparently the director was a bit of a history buff. Does the movie do a good portrayal of the godly elect from that time period and the beliefs about witchcraft from that period?
Crunchyroll just premiered Onyx Equinox, an animated series that heavily draws on Aztec and Mayan myth and culture. This is probably the first major popular media work depicting Mesoamerica western audiences will see since Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. Based on the first episode, what does the show get right and what does it get wrong that educators will need to deal with should this become the new base of popular knowledge?
Does anyone know of a book similar to The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee that is focused on Europe?
Basically, I need a broad overview of Asian European migration and history. If you don't know of a book but have specific papers or writers to look into, I would appreciate that, too! I'm writing a research paper on the history of Jewish refugees in China and just need a little more historical context (so far I've been using Port of Last Resort by Ristaino as a source). Thanks in advance!
When were the first fishing regulations enacted in Japan?
Has there been a competent, interesting film or television series produced about the French Revolution and Robespierre’s role in it?
When did the Ottoman Empire start being considered a European power?
As far as I know, even in the 1500s when they had significant territory in the Balkans, they were viewed as completely Non-European. But by 1860, it seems like the general perception is that they were (at least to an extent).
How many times could a medieval archer shoot a charging enemy with a sword, before the enemy gets in the stabbing range?
I mean shooting with a substantial chance (>20%) to hit and cause a serious wound.
Also, would a crossbow fare better, or worse?
Is “Germany: A Nation in it’s Time” by Helmut Walser Smith a good introductory text on German history? If not, are there any alternative resources that would serve better?
This may be more literature than history per se, but any recommendations for a good reference guide to Arthurian legend? I'm more interested in like the development of the legend and story (e.g. where it originated, how it evolved over the years, how real people received it, etc) than a literary analysis.
I found 2 and was wondering if either were any good or if there were better ones to look at: The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend (sadly no digital edition and my libraries don't have it) and The Arthurian Handbook: Second Edition (which at least is on Kindle)
Can someone recommend a good book about the Justinian Plague and it's effects on the world of the time? I found one called Justinian's Flea but it seems to have mixed to poor reviews and isn't held in good regard, so I was hoping for a better alternative. Thanks!
I'm looking for an entertaining but informative book on the history of Europe from the fall of Rome to the Reformation.
By traditional Chinese reckoning, did the new day start at sunrise or sunset? I can't seem to find an answer to this anywhere from standard googling.
A bit of a different request if mods will allow it. I've always been interested in Mongolia, but only snapshots of it in the history courses I took in college.
Are there any definitive books/authors about Mongolia's history?
What is the origin of the trope of the cork-board with the strings connecting articles and photos together?
Hopefully someone can help me out- I was just wondering why savoury pancakes (like Korean pajeon) were not common in Europe (outside of stuffed crepes and potato pancakes).
How widespread was mechanised agriculture in 80s Yugoslavia? Were combines and harvesting machines commonplace? This is probably a pretty weird question but I know nothing about the subject and I don't really know how to research it. Thanks for the answers in advance.
I'm interested to learn more about Middle Age, especially Black Death/Plague. What would be the best books to learn about that?
During the Ottoman Empire era there were certain regions / countries in the Ottoman Empire who were called "Cross Carrying Turks" and were insulted throughout Europe. Why was this said and what caused it? If you also know the actual name before the English translation I'd like to know that too! I've looked it up and tried my best to find more information on it but no dice.