/u/NerdMachine's posts in /r/AskHistorians

Year:

Were Roman gladiators used as prostitutes for wealthy Roman women the way they are in Spartacus?

NSFW

725 upvotes

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In Game of Thrones, many peasants and merchants speak both their native language and the "common tongue". Was bilingualism common in medieval times?

111 upvotes

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Did knights actual "dub" each other with cool nicknames like "Sword of the Morning" and "Barristan the Bold"?

105 upvotes

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Is it known who the men are that pushed the button/lever/etc. that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan? Would these individuals hold the record for greatest number of people killed in a single act?

74 upvotes

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In the Star TrekTNG episode "The High Ground", Data states that based on earth history "Terrorism is an effective way to promote political change." Would you say this is true?

69 upvotes

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In WWII, bombers were well-armed with turrets. Why then was the development of long-range escort fighters so important?

30 upvotes

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Why did Eisenhower fire Patton?

25 upvotes

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What are the most common root causes of conflict throughout history? I often hear religion, but I wanted an expert opinion.

17 upvotes

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When were helicopters first used in a significant way in combat? What tactical/strategic changes were made because of their introduction?

17 upvotes

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When exploration of "the new world" was underway, were the explorers generally funded by private or public funds? Was there anything analogous to SpaceX at the time?

13 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Were Roman gladiators used as prostitutes for wealthy Roman women the way they are in Spartacus? NSFW	725
In Game of Thrones, many peasants and merchants speak both their native language and the "common tongue". Was bilingualism common in medieval times?	111
Did knights actual "dub" each other with cool nicknames like "Sword of the Morning" and "Barristan the Bold"?	105
Is it known who the men are that pushed the button/lever/etc. that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan? Would these individuals hold the record for greatest number of people killed in a single act?	74
In the Star TrekTNG episode "The High Ground", Data states that based on earth history "Terrorism is an effective way to promote political change." Would you say this is true?	69
In WWII, bombers were well-armed with turrets. Why then was the development of long-range escort fighters so important?	30
Why did Eisenhower fire Patton?	25
What are the most common root causes of conflict throughout history? I often hear religion, but I wanted an expert opinion.	17
When were helicopters first used in a significant way in combat? What tactical/strategic changes were made because of their introduction?	17
When exploration of "the new world" was underway, were the explorers generally funded by private or public funds? Was there anything analogous to SpaceX at the time?	13