/u/ZnSaucier's posts in /r/askhistorians

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In James Boswell’s 1762 London Journal, the author prides himself on “wearing his own hair” rather than a wig. What were the social implications of choosing to wear a wig versus natural hair?

6 upvotes

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Did the ancient Romans understand the phenomenon of food allergies?

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I’m a young man living in Rome in the first century BCE. I just heard that my rich, childless uncle has died, apparently without writing a will. What’s going to happen to his belongings? Have I just lucked into a payday?

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How do ancient ruins become ruins? Unless literally everybody nearby dies, how do buildings become so neglected that they get entirely buried in dirt?

5 upvotes

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Did the traditional cultures of places where people live alongside other primates (Africa, South and Southeast Asia, South and Central America) develop the idea that primates were “higher” or “closer” to humans than other animals were?

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How accurate is the image of life in the Italian American mafia portrayed in gangster media like The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos?

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The ancients ate sausage, but did they make “sausage = penis” jokes? Same question for bananas. How old is humor about funny phallic foods?

4 upvotes

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What did Sigmund Freud’s mother and father think of his theories?

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What did pre-Columbian native Americans feed their dogs?

3 upvotes

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How did premodern people explain static shocks?

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
In James Boswell’s 1762 London Journal, the author prides himself on “wearing his own hair” rather than a wig. What were the social implications of choosing to wear a wig versus natural hair?	6
Did the ancient Romans understand the phenomenon of food allergies?	6
I’m a young man living in Rome in the first century BCE. I just heard that my rich, childless uncle has died, apparently without writing a will. What’s going to happen to his belongings? Have I just lucked into a payday?	6
How do ancient ruins become ruins? Unless literally everybody nearby dies, how do buildings become so neglected that they get entirely buried in dirt?	5
Did the traditional cultures of places where people live alongside other primates (Africa, South and Southeast Asia, South and Central America) develop the idea that primates were “higher” or “closer” to humans than other animals were?	5
How accurate is the image of life in the Italian American mafia portrayed in gangster media like The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos?	5
The ancients ate sausage, but did they make “sausage = penis” jokes? Same question for bananas. How old is humor about funny phallic foods?	4
What did Sigmund Freud’s mother and father think of his theories?	4
What did pre-Columbian native Americans feed their dogs?	3
How did premodern people explain static shocks?	3