askhistorians

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Its typically believed that glasses were invented in the late 13th century; what was it like for people who needed them before they were invented? Were people just walking around blind? What was it like for the ancient Egyptian or even the ancient Roman empires?	2527
The Plague of Justinian (541 – 542 AD) was a pandemic that heavily afflicted the Byzantine empire during the reign of Justinan I; what measures were put in place to help those that were affected in some way by it?	681
Michigan's upper peninsula is connected to the state of Wisconsin. How did this come about?	646
Sudden infant death syndrome, otherwise known as SIDS, sometimes called "cradle death," is the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby anywhere from birth to one year of age, typically in their sleep. Before the modern age, what did people think was happening when this phenomenon occurred?	385
Did the Romans understand the Atlantic ocean? What did they believe was past the Straight of Gibraltar?	189
How did Israel and Palestine come to both claim Jersualem as their capital city?	55
Everyone always asks where did "The Sea People" come from; my question is, where did they go?	53
I'm a citizen of Rome living in the city during the reign of Julius Caesar. I have just witnessed a murder; who am I reporting it to?	43
Nowadays, we have the likes of Petsmart and Petco. Did the same sort of idea of a store dedicated to the sale of items/food for pets exist before the modern period?	32
It would seem that throughout human history, sentencing someone to live in exile (to banish from one's own country) was a common punishment handed down through the justice system of many nations/kingdoms. Why did this practice die out?	31

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