While Lithuania today is a small Baltic republic, between the 13th and 18th centuries the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the largest country in Europe, and at various times it included the entire territory of modern Belarus, the western half of Ukraine, and large tracts of European Russia. One of the challenges faced by such an enormous country was the absence of a shared, common language. But from the 15th century onwards a myth gained in popularity that the Lithuanians were the descendants of Romans. This myth appealed to the nation’s nobility, and informed a unique cultural self-understanding that I call Lituanitas in Poetry and Nation-Building in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: a distinctive form of Lithuanian nationalism that saw the Lithuanians as a Latin people. The popularity of Lituanitas encouraged the use of the Latin language in Lithuanian literature; and, crucially, Latin in Lithuania was not a classicising affectation but a pragmatic necessity. Latin was the one language that all of early modern Lithuania’s literate elite were likely to understand; and while the Polish vernacular became ever more dominant in Poland, Latin maintained its position as the dominant language of publication in Lithuania into the 18th century.

Q. What is the book about?

1. So who was Prester John? Why is he important? 

1. Simon Doubleday: Congratulations on your new book! There is already quite a buzz about it. Can you say something about why you chose the term “ambivalence” for the subtitle?  

A McMaster University researcher has uncovered evidence of intestinal parasites in a 500-year-old latrine from Bruges, Belgium. While the findings might make some queasy, they offer vital scientific insight into the historical spread of infectious diseases through travel and trade.

Medieval Studies has no shortage of amazing books coming out each year, but which ones are the best of the best? This week, Danièle continues the annual tradition of listing her top five book recommendations of 2024 alongside those of Peter Konieczny, editor of Medievalists.net.

Ever wonder how much of our everyday language is rooted in the past? Many of the phrases we casually toss around have surprising origins that date back to the Middle Ages. In this list, we’ll uncover 10 medieval phrases that are still alive and well today, proving that some expressions truly stand the test of time.

Archaeologists in southern Greece have discovered a unique portrait of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, hidden within a layer of frescoes dating to the mid-15th century.

For those fortunate enough to have stumbled upon medieval manuscripts, some discoveries have come from unexpected places. Here are my top five most peculiar spots where these medieval and ancient texts have been found.

A conversation with Maggie Popkin about souvenirs in the Roman world, how they tie in with city identities and city branding, and the experience of travel. These portable objects shaped how people thought of places and the Roman world as a whole, from its attractions and experiences to its religious cults.

History collectors will have the chance to acquire medieval artefacts at two auctions this weekend. Apollo Art Auctions is hosting two events: the first, focusing on Islamic, Indian, and Chinese art, and the second, featuring Fine Ancient Art & Antiquities. Both will take place in London with online bidding options available.

The University of Sharjah hosted an astrolabe workshop in which western scientists showed participants how an astronomical instrument made by a medieval Muslim scholar nearly 1,000 years ago measured the altitude of the sun throughout the twelve zodiacal signs and told local time through the position of the sun in the ecliptic on a given day.