askhistorians

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Why does it seem like torture was more widely practiced and accepted during previous eras? Was human life less valued? Did people lack empathy? Perhaps there were more sociopaths? Or perhaps sociopaths were more likely to rise to power?	77
Why does the state of Georgia have so many counties?	77
My father and brother both remember an ancient commander using mirrors to blind the enemy's horses, but I can't find anything about it on the internet. Did something similar actually happen?	77
Why so many among the Roman elite didn't have any children at a time when having many was common and had to resort to adoption instead?	77
How did medieval people become guards? Could anyone become one?	77
Is there a historical reason why the attitude towards universal healthcare is so different in the US compared to a lot of others Western/industrialised/First world nations	77
I am asking a question in r/ask----------. Why did so many novels used to censor names and places, even if it would be relatively easy to guess from context? When did this trend begin, and why has it largely faded from literature?	76
How did cavalry avoid running into each other while charging? In movies and video games you see tight cavalry formations charging into a wall of infantry. When the first row of horsemen hit the front line, what would happen to all the horsemen behind them?	76
Why is it 'Trojan Horse' and not 'Greek Horse'?	76
What did emperor hirohito think about the state of Japan after the war? He continued on being emperor until his death in the 80s and most people agree that Japan was in a much better state after the economic boom. Did hirohito continue on being bitter despite the much higher standard of living?	76

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