Today:
You know the drill: this is the thread for all your history-related outpourings that are not necessarily questions. Minor questions that you feel don't need or merit their own threads are welcome too. Discovered a great new book, documentary, article or blog? Has your Ph.D. application been successful? Have you made an archaeological discovery in your back yard? Did you find an anecdote about the Doge of Venice telling a joke to Michel Foucault? Tell us all about it.
As usual, moderation in this thread will be relatively non-existent -- jokes, anecdotes and light-hearted banter are welcome.
My first book, The Medieval Crossbow: A Weapon Fit to Kill a King, is now available for pre-order! (It's also on Book Depository and some other regional book retailers for people living a long way from the UK).
Overall I'm pleased with how it turned out. I wish I could have fit more into it, but my publisher was only willing to let me run so long and that was probably for the best, otherwise I'd still be writing it! The book is written as a new introduction to the study of the crossbow, so prior knowledge of crossbows or medieval military history isn't really required. I divided it into two parts: the first is a technical analysis of the crossbow, breaking down the types of crossbows, how they're built, and the many devices developed for use with crossbows. The second (longer) part of the book is a study of the crossbow's use throughout history, with a very brief discussion of its origins in ancient China but really focusing on medieval Europe c.1000-1500. Hopefully it will be of interest to some members of the community!
Edit: I'm also happy to answer questions if people have them!
Your Weekly /r/askhistorians Recap
Friday, February 11 - Thursday, February 17
###Top 10 Posts
| score | comments | title & link |
|---|---|---|
| 4,434 | 142 comments | The baby boom generation is known for their outspoken progressive views when they were young (60s and 70s), but seem to be known for their conservative views later in life. Is this simply a matter of public perception or was there a major political realignment that occurred during their lifetimes? |
| 3,179 | 138 comments | Roman soldiers are often depicted wearing sandal-like footwear. This seems very unsafe on a battlefield with heavy/sharp objects flying around/falling. Did they really wear sandals and If so, why not something offering more protection? |
| 2,847 | 133 comments | I just read Marc Aurelius' Meditations. What other significant works exist that give such a personal insight into the life and thoughts of historical figures? |
| 2,625 | 111 comments | Why did we stop putting gargoyles on buildings? |
| 2,181 | 23 comments | "In 1927 Chiang Kai-Shek boiled hundreds of Communists alive," claimed George Orwell. Is this actually true? If not, where could he have heard such a report from? |
| 1,703 | 9 comments | Were many fossils discovered when trenches were dug in WW1? |
| 1,691 | 50 comments | There is a fairly specific modern idea of what "Viking Hair" looks like. How accurate is this conception? What kind of evidence do we have? |
| 1,575 | 160 comments | How did people refer to clockwise and counterclockwise before clocks? |
| 1,513 | 25 comments | I am an atheist living in Western Europe. At what point in history can I admit to this without it resulting in me being executed? |
| 1,431 | 31 comments | The armed conflict in Northern Ireland is referred to in the media and by state actors on both sides as 'the Troubles'. From where is the origin of this phrase, i.e who coined it, where was it first used how did it develop into the accepted term to use to describe the conflict? |
###Top 10 Comments
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I've always wondered this when seeing all the varied specialties in responses, how did our resident historians come to choose their specific focus? Considering there's well, a lot of history to choose from.
During the age of prohibition & rampant bootlegging, there are tons of stories of 'bathtub gin' and the like which are usually described as extremely, sometimes dangerously strong, but invariably awful tasting. Were there any famously 'good' moonshiners or bathtub distillers who became famous for the quality of their product? Even ones who went on to start legitimate businesses when prohibition was done?
What’s the difference between Romans and Latins? I’ve been learning about the Roman Monarchy but I don’t really understand the relationship between the Latins and Romans and if/when they became the same thing.
How is everyone’s social life?