askhistorians

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In the last century or so, English-speakers seem to have shifted from referring to classical gods by the Latin forms of their names to the Greek forms. Is this an effect of Latin no longer being a required school subject, or was there a revival of interest in Greek literature specifically?	47
How did Greek sources characterize the Romans, before they had become Roman subjects?	43
In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, it’s claimed that many local families can trace themselves back to one side or the other at the battle of Hastings. Are there really any families from the Saxon side that maintained their prestige to modern times?	40
If citizens of the later Roman Empire heard recordings of modern Spanish, French, and Italian speakers, could they identify which speakers came from which regions?	39
Why does Huns’ attack on the Burgundians in 437 and their attack on the Visigoths in 451 have opposite weights in oral epic and written historical traditions?	35
The Articles of Confederation asserted the privileges of free citizens to all free inhabitants with the exception of “paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives”. Why did they feel it necessary to deny full citizenship to the poor and homeless, and why was this exception removed from the Constitution?	33
Did ancient Egyptians commonly refer to their own dynasties using ordinal numbers, or was that a system adopted by later historians?	26
Many classical literary works began as private letters or commissions. Was “publishing” these works a formal act, or was the difference between public and private circulation just a matter of degree?	26
In the late Roman/Byzantine empire, “rhetoric” was considered the most advanced school subject. As taught at the time, would it have more closely resembled literary theory, practical writing lessons, or something else entirely?	25
In the 10th century a small group of outcasts was able to discover and colonize the New World with their own private resources. 500 years later Columbus was only able to follow them after seeking sponsorship from multiple states. Why was there such an apparent change in the cost of exploration?	25

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