In the movie Patton, we see General George S. Patton visiting a battlefield from the Third Punic War. He describes the battle that was fought there 2,000 years earlier and proclaims, “I […]
Peace Treaties More than 2,000 Years in the Making
What Was the Original Purpose of a Strip Search?
In compiling your list of the things you’d like to do over the holidays, it’s highly unlikely participating in a strip search is anywhere close to the top of the list. If […]
Buying the Roman Emperor Title at an Auction
People have bought some unusual things at auctions. In the Digital Age, thanks to eBay and Facebook, it is possible to bid on almost every imaginable commodity. Despite the untold advances of […]
Improve Your Memory With These Helpful Mnemonics
Who hasn’t wished to have a better memory? Whether you struggle with recalling the names of people whom you just met, have difficulty with how many “c”s and “m”s to include in […]
Do You Know Which Day is Leap Day?
Every four years we get to experience the phenomenon known as Leap Year. One additional day is added to the calendar to account for the fact that it takes about 365.25 days […]
What’s the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Have you ever wondered how you are supposed to refer to that nation that is home to Queen Elizabeth II? Are you supposed to call it England? Great Britain? The United Kingdom? […]
The Forgery that Helped Shape Europe
During the political chaos of the early Middle Ages, there was one stable, unifying force that held things together in Europe: the Roman Catholic Church. While Europe scrambled to pick up the […]
The Confounding Case of the Lost Recipe for Concrete
Take a stroll through the ancient ruins of the Romans, Egyptians, Persians, and the Assyrians, you may notice something odd about their concrete structures. Despite being thousands of years old, they seem […]
Who was the Best-Paid Athlete of All Time?
In today’s era of multi-million dollar salaries for professional sports figures, it might surprise you that even the wealthiest of modern athletes cannot hold a candle to the best-paid sportsman of all […]
And You Think Paying Your Taxes Stinks?
During the 1st century AD, Roman emperor Vespasian (ruled 69-79) placed a tax on urine. The urine from public urinals was sold as an essential ingredient for several chemical processes, such as […]
Even His Grandmother Wanted Him Dead
Roman Emperor Elagabalus (ca 203 – 222; reigned 218-222) became emperor at the age of fourteen. During the four years of his reign, he chalked up quite a list of accomplishments, […]
Roamin’ in a Roman Mall
The first shopping mall was built by Roman Emperor Trajan in Rome. It consisted of over 150 outlets, selling everything from spices to clothing. source
Commonplace Fun Facts 