AskHistorians

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Why is Justinian so prominently represented in general histories of the West or the world compared to other Byzantine/Eastern Roman emperors? Was he really the only one of any note?	280
I'm watching a talk from the Met youtube channel about types of marble used in medieval Italy. Several of the types of marble used have high numbers of fossils in them. What did people in the medieval period think the fossils were and how they had been caused or formed?	51
Modern accounts of the Bronze Age Collapse often claim that the Greeks forgot how to write. If so, when and how did writing get reintroduced? Was it the same writing system as had been used before, or was it a new one?	14
Many important Greek and Roman figures had relationships that are now presented as same-sex love affairs (for example Hadrian with Antinous). How were these relationships presented in more homophobic times such as the Victorian age?	11
Was there ever a time in English history when King Arthur and his associated legends were believed to be historical? Or were they always understood to be myths?	8
Request for reading recommendations - history of science or mathematics in non-Christian lands during the medieval period?	5
I just watched a documentary that talked about parts of Troy being inhabited until the 14th century CE. Is this true? If so, what happened to it? What were the processes that led to its being so forgotten that it was thought in the West to be a myth until Schliemann "discovered" it?	4
Can you recommend any good sources I could consult for information about average seasonal temperatures during the "Medieval Warm Period" and/or the "Little Ice Age"?	3
What is the first recorded instance of chicken pox? Is there any evidence that it was once more virulent or deadly than it is today?	3
Perception of clowns in western society?	1

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