Marco Polo’s account of his journey to Asia is one of the most well-known texts to come out of the Middle Ages. This book explores the people, places, and wonders that Polo described in his writings.
In this issue, we look at how the horse impacted medieval life and culture, from the monastery to the court, and from the training grounds to the battlefield. Theme: Horses in the Middle Ages Anastasija Ropa, "From coursers to hackneys: Medieval horses and the people who rode them," 16-21. Timothy George Dawson, "The horse in Byzantium: Adaptations for daily life and battle," 22-25. Jürg Gassmann, "Fighting on horseback: Cavalry organisation, training, and tactics," 26-33. Anastasija Ropa, "The mirror of man: The horse and rider metaphor," 34-37. Annelies Koolen, "The right way to ride: Dom Duarte on horsemanship," 38-41. Miriam A. Bibby, "Jingling monks and sidesaddle nuns: Ecclesiastical horses on the road," 42-45. Features: Rowdy Geirsson, "Freyja's final resting place: Secrets of a Viking-age burial," 8-13. Robert Jones, "Chivalry and violence: Worshipping at the altar of prowess," 14-15. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele, "Clovis' baptism: eldest daughter of the church," 46-49. Lucie Laumonier, "Shopping in the Middle Ages: Markets, sellers, and fraud," 50-53. Joseph Luzzi, "Sacred poetry and secular politics: Dante's contested legacy," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Book review: Forgotten Vikings - New Approaches to the Viking Age," 56. Jonathan H. Jones, "Book review: The Green Ages - Medieval Innovations and Sustainability," 57.
Rivers were an incredibly important part of the ancient landscape. Not only were they useful transport routes for goods and people, but also powerful forces that accrued their own religious significance. Theme: Rivers in antiquity Daniel Kershaw, 'The River Tiber - Rome's great father'. Timothy Hart, 'On the edge of civilization - Rome's frontier along the Danube'. Owain Williams, 'River transport in antiquity - Rowboats, barges, and rafts'. Ian Armit, 'Weapons, wealth, and bog bodies - Celtic veneration of rivers and lakes'. Features: Louise M. Pryce, 'Enheduanna - The world's first named author'. Jennifer Barry, 'Emperors and bishops - Who was really in charge?'. Owain Williams, 'Spartans and slaves - The foundation of Tarentum'. Tara Sewell-Lasater, 'The faceless Cleopatra - Polymorphic Ptolemaic portraiture'. Sinclair W. Bell, 'Games and glory - Circus factions of the Roman Principate'. Nina Butterfield, 'Julia Caesar - Women's importance to Roman politics'. Philip Matyszak, 'Roman pets - The domestic menagerie'.
Merovingian Worlds By James T. Palmer Cambridge University Press ISBN: 978-1-108-73759-3 This book offers an overview of the Merovingian realm, roughly what is…
Covering the years 519 to 1277, this chronicle provides an account of events in England throughout much of the Middle Ages. It includes both the 19th-century Latin edition and an English translation
…and I need you to see this This morning I woke up at 4.30am with a wild hair and decided I would fly to Copenhagen and go see a Viking ring fortress.
The Peloponnesian War had ripped up the existing alliances in Greece — over the next decades, the main city-states looked for ways to regain money, power, and win battles. Theme: Greece in the fourth century BC Roel Konijnendijk, 'War is a violent teacher - Fourth-century Greek innovations'. Aaron Beek, 'Keeping your distance - Peltasts in the fourth century BC'. Bogdan Burliga, 'Bogeymen with javelins - The Battle of Lechaeum, 390 BC'. John Diamond, 'The innovative Spartan - King Agesilaus II of Sparta'. Murray Dahm, 'Making them longer and deeper - Fourth-century BC spears and phalanxes'. Features: Cezary Kucewicz, 'Hoplite stories - Decorated Peloponnesian shield bands'. Tim Howe, 'Triumph to ignominy - Alexander's final year in India'. Velite Aquila, 'The Daunii at war - Burning the Pyrrhic camp'. Ben Chapman, 'Deva Victrix - The legionary fortress of Chester'. Murray Dahm, 'Where did you get that hat? - Reflections on the Spong Hill Man'. Robert C. L. Holmes, 'Clouds of war - Weather in ancient warfare'. Jo Ball, 'Scout's honour - The tombstone of P. Sulpicius Peregrinus'.
From the simple cap to the most intricately-wrought and elaborately-decorated royal example, the humble helmet could do much more than just protect its bearer’s head. Theme: Helmets in the ancient world Murray Dahm, 'An ancient connection - The mystery of horned helmets'. Evan Schultheis, 'By ridge and spang - Late Roman helmets'. Jo Ball, 'The face of victory - Decoration on Roman helmets'. Murray Dahm, 'A mask for a battle - Losing your head in a foreign marsh'. David Sim, 'Hammering it home - Roman helmet production'. Tamás Dezső, 'Three centuries of bronze and iron - the helmets of the Assyrian army'. Features: James Ford, 'PTSD in Ancient Greece - The religious dimension'. Jona Lendering, 'A puzzle without an answer - Where did Hannibal cross the Alps'. Mark McCaffery, 'Those about to die, or not - An alternative gladiator oath'. Velite Aquila, 'Storming south - Gauls at the battle of Telamon'. Jo Ball, 'Dying on the edge of the empire - The tombstone of Nectovelius'. Haggai Olshanetsky, 'Under Egyptian and Persian banners - Jewish soldiers serving foreign kings'.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Caroline Wilhelmsson about the royal women of Sweden, how they became queens, and how they exercised their power.
And they let me have a look This week I went to the Tower of London to do a few great things.
Yu Xuanji is celebrated as the greatest female poet of the Tang Dynasty. This book presents the original Chinese texts alongside English translations of her surviving poems, as well as selected writings that illuminate her extraordinary life.
In 897, Pope Stephen VI exhumed his predecessor and put him on trial. Known as the Cadaver Synod, this bizarre episode in Church history was more than madness—new research reveals it was a political and religious power play.
