askhistorians

Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
The Pontic Greek dialect is very different from modern Greek. Was the language difference as large in antiquity when ancient-Greek-speaking Byzantine emperors ruled over Pontus? Did they easily understand each other?	17
Hollywood studios were forced to jettison their theater chains and end unfair contract practices with independent theaters after the 1948 United States vs. Paramount Pictures court decision. How did this change Hollywood? Was there a change in the type or quality of films appearing in theaters?	16
Madison concluded the Articles of Confederation system was dysfunctional and doomed by 1784, and in seeking a replacement, he looked to the ancient Greek confederacies. In letters, he wondered what had brought down ancient Republics/confederations. Did he find any convincing answers?	16
Did the British Empire function as a single market economy such as the US or EU has? Would citizens have felt like their buying power could command goods and services from across the far corners of the globe?	16
Did the introduction of horses in the Americas change the balance of power between hunter-gatherers and settled agriculturalists?	16
I've read that the idea that eastern rulers had harems is a form of orientalization. Does that make these relationships any less harem-like? How is it a distortion?	16
An "Inspector of The Free Cities" shows up in Arrian's "Discourses," chatting with Epictetus. Were there many free cities in the Roman Empire? How were they "free," in relation to other cities, and what would the official inspect in them?	16
The Romans were famous for connecting their empire with well-built stone roads that lasted into modern times. Did Han dynasty China or their successors have an equally impressive road-building program?	16
Why were Spain and Portugal handed all of the new world by the pope? How well did the other powers respect his edict?	16
Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg so Russia would have a major port that didn't freeze over and become useless during winter. This seems an obvious move, so why didn't a Tsar before Peter create a new port further south?	16

« < > »