History

Man has created some of the toughest sons of bitches on the face of the planet through both real events and fiction over and over again throughout history. In the… read more

Giovanni Jacopo Casanova (1725-1798) tacked on the spurious title “de Seingalt” to his name as a way of impressing the people he was attempting to manipulate.  By all accounts, he… read more

This is the first installment of a multi-part series about the evolution, or devolution, of the American woman throughout the arc of American history. Women’s Contributions To The Revolutionary War… read more

Julius Caesar needs little introduction.  By common consent, he occupies a high seat in the pantheon of Western historical figures.  But few can adequately explain why he was a great… read more

I’ve spoken about the limits of feminism before, but today I’d like to explore them further. Feminism, as a whole, is not without some wide appeal. Women almost everywhere, for… read more

1. Athens’ biggest worry was the sheer recklessness of its own democratic government. A simple majority of the citizenry, urged on and incensed by clever demagogues, might capriciously send out military forces… read more

After losing the decisive sea battle with Syracuse, the Athenian army decided to make a run for it: Nicias and Demosthenes [Athenian generals] now thinking that enough had been done… read more

The following excerpt from The Landmark Thucydides describes an epic sea battle between Athens and Syracuse (Athens invaded Sicily, where Syracuse was the dominant power). After some quick victories, the… read more

If your conquerors held a sword above your neck but allowed you to give you a speech that might sway them, would you be able to convince them to save… read more