Many people today have misconceptions about the ancient world, even if they might not realize it. Our historical knowledge is often a just mixture of misinformation, half-truths, and the last historical movie we saw. This happens for many reasons. Information has a way of getting distorted as centuries pass, so the further back one goes in history,…
The lives of historical figures have provided Hollywood with film fodder for decades. Biographical movies aren’t necessarily as accurate as they claim to be, though. From Bohemian Rhapsody to Braveheart, inaccurate biopics prove that great films don’t always make for great history lessons. Inaccurate films about historical figures tell mistruths that range from the mild to the outrageous. Some biography…
While films like Gladiator (which depicts the tumultuous reign of the Emperor Commodus) and series like HBO’s Rome can stray far from the actual facts of life in Ancient Rome, they do a decent job of showing the prominent roles women played in the affairs of its political leaders. Thus, whatever liberties movies and shows might take with the real history…
Historically, the accomplishments of women have gone unrecognized. Women of color are especially overlooked by the larger cultural canon. The time of writing brave, inspiring women out of history is over now that efforts have been made to uncover their stories. We’re here to share them with you! From rebel spies to fierce warriors, these women will inspire you to never give up on…
For all of history, humans have enjoyed a good puzzle. Puzzles, codes, and ciphers have been found almost everywhere, from second-century Egypt to the 17th-century letters between King Charles I and Queen Henrietta-Maria. Still today, crossword puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, and Sudoku all remain enjoyable ways to pass the time. But not all puzzles are simply meant for fun and leisure. Ciphers and…
The people who dare to think outside of society’s traditional box – presenting their innovative ideas, unparalleled discoveries, and hypothetical scenarios that question commonly accepted collective narratives – often change the world with their inventions and philosophical hypotheses. Without courageous people who dare to challenge the norm, voice their dreams, or speak out against injustices, society would…
Language evolves like a biological creature, but linguistic progression occurs more rapidly than natural development. The vernacular of our parents’ generation is already greatly removed from today’s slang words, and texts from a few years ago could be considered “fossil records” by etymologists who study the origin of words to gain cultural insight. Examining the history of our language uncovers the hidden meanings behind…
Hollywood has taken us to medieval battlefields for as long as it’s been making movies. But while medieval warfare movies are definitely exciting, most of them are far from realistic. When you’re talking about battles that took place hundreds of years ago, the average person has no real way of relating to them without extensive research. History…
When large groups of Italians migrated to the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mafia members and organized crime professionals traveled with them. Many made men entered the bootlegging business during the Prohibition era, then moved to other forms of illegal enterprises, like gambling, racketeering, drug smuggling, and prostitution rings, once the US…
Some of the most famous buildings in the world, such as the White House or the Waldorf Astoria hotel, actually have secret rooms. There are many reasons why these rooms exist. Some were built or used for secretive purposes, but others are just ordinary spaces that happen to be connected to architectural icons. Either way, these secret rooms are the…
