askhistorians

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Could members of a losing clan of the Sengoku period in Japan realistically go into exile in a neighbouring civilisation, such as Joseon Korea or Ming China?	4
Storied mountebank Ignaz Trebitsch-Lincoln converted to Buddhism in the late 1920s and by 1931 was running his own monastery in Shanghai. Was this phenomenon of a Westerner travelling to the East and rising meteorically in a religious institution entirely unusual in this period?	4
Wikipedia claims that the Byzantine General Illus (fl 457-488) had no fixed religious principles. What would that mean in practice in this period?	4
How did mining practices in Western Europe change when the Roman Empire fell and there was no longer a continuous supply of slaves to work them? Was mining still a death sentence that had to be compelled?	4
It's the year 490 AD in Athens and I'm an educated, wealthy aristocrat strongly associated with the Platonic Acadamy and therefore not a Christian. I die, naturally without the attendance of a priest. What will my funeral arrangements look like?	4
Reading about the late 5th century AD philosopher and magician Pamprepius, it seems that he was patronised not only by committed Hellenes but also by prominent figures in the highly Christianised court such as the general Illus. How religiously fluid was the Eastern Roman Empire at that time?	4
Communal meals were a central part of worship in the Ancient world. Would temples, churches, cult centres and the like have maintained professional cooks or would everyone bring things to make a meal?	3
The Kalmyk's migrated to the Caucasus region in the 17th century, when the Cossack Hosts had great influence there. As Cossack bands could be open to a variety of religious minorities such as Subbotniks, Jews and Muslims, would it have been possible for a Buddhist Kalmyk to become a Cossack?	3
Following the Lamian war, the Athenians were forced to dissolve their democracy and establish a plutocracy. Only the 9,000 richest citizens were left in the city while the 12,000 poorest men were permanently exiled. Why was this done rather than a total destruction of the city?	3
The Greek orator Demosthenes was honoured by the Athenians with a law that the state should provide meals to his descendants in the Prytaneum. Were laws like that intended to exist in perpetuity?	3

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