askhistorians

Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
I just learned that camels are not native to the the Levant or North Africa, but were introduced as a domestic breed during the Hellenistic period. How did the introduction of camels affect travel and commerce in the ancient world?	3261
After Jerusalem and Rome, the most prestigious destination for Medieval European pilgrims was Santiago de Compostela, a small city in northern Spain. How did this place become so spiritually significant, and how did this affect the city's secular power?	3249
The popular sea shanty "What Shall we Do with a Drunken Sailor" suggests throwing the titular sailor in bed with the "Captain's Daughter". Did Age of Sail captains often bring their families on long voyages? What was life like for them at sea?	2930
In 1627 the last aurochs, or wild cow, died in the Jaktorów Forest of Poland. How did Europeans of that time understand the concept of extinction? Were they aware that these animals were the last of their kind, and their death meant the end of the species?	2223
America in the first half of the 20th century was home to many ethnic mafias - the Irish mob, the Jewish mob, the Poles, African-Americans, etc. How and when did Italians become the most common pop-culture representation of the Mafia?	708
I am a Greek citizen-soldier in the 5th century BCE. As is custom, I have purchased my own armor and weapons. When I go to war, will I be wearing any sort of a uniform? If my formation is broken up, how am I supposed to tell my allies from my enemies?	505
Tumbuktu in the late Medieval era was famous for its university, being regarded as a center of learning and particularly of Islamic scholarship. How did the University of Timbuktu compare to other universities of the era?	302
The Rule of St. Benedict (written 516 A.D.) describes how an abbey should be organized, and declares that abbots should be elected meritocratically from among the monks. How did elections like these function in the Medieval world? Were they "fair" and legitimate elections by modern standards?	242
During the American Civil War, how did Confederate commanders deal with monolingual French-speaking recruits from Louisiana? Did these soldiers require their own units? Did linguistic differences cause any major miscommunications?	173
Would a scholar living in classical Greece know more about the personal life of Homer than a modern scholar? When was information about the composer of the Iliad and Odyssey lost?	142

« < > »