askhistorians

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I am a common Englishman with an occupational surname (like Smith, Farmer, Fisher, etc.). At what time does my name stop being a mark of my profession, and start being just a surname? When could I go up to someone and introduce myself as "John Smith", and not have people assume that I am a smith?	133
Ancient Roman graffiti contains many inscriptions that seem to be from common people, especially soldiers. Does this meant that common Romans were literate? How would the average Roman soldier learn to read and write, compared to the average aristocrat?	116
Today, peg-legs and hook-hands are an essential part of any pirate costume. Is this accurate? What was life like for amputees and the physically disabled in the Age of Sail?	114
I am a 2nd century Roman woman who is considering converting to Christianity. Will I be viewed differently in the Christian community than I am in the Roman state religion? How did the treatment of women vary between these two religious groups?	96
During the Taiping rebellion in the early 1860s, both the rebels and the Qing government employed American mercenaries to fight for them. What did these mercenaries think about the American Civil War, happening at the same time back home?	86
I was told in a Korean martial arts class that the design for the katana - a famously Japanese sword - was actually a Korean invention. How true is this? How did the katana originate, and what influenced its design?	82
Popular history states that the myth of the centaur arose when early Greeks first encountered warriors on horseback. Did any similar legends arise after the first Native American contact with European cavalry? How was the arrival of horses represented in Native American legends?	50
What was the reaction of culturally Celtic (or at least, Scottish Gaelic-speaking) regions of Scotland towards the rise of the Irish nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries? Were these areas more likely to favor home rule or independence for Ireland than other parts of the UK?	40
Between 1402 and 1496, Spain conquered the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, and potentially eradicated their native Guanche inhabitants. How did this compare to the Spanish conquest of the Americas immediately afterwards?	38
How would an Aztec warrior go about capturing an enemy?	36

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