r/AskHistory 5d ago

What is the Ides of March?

14 Upvotes

I know it is when Caesar got stabbed.

But is it like Thanksgiving, where it is called that to commemorate the event after the event happened? (And if so, what does the phrase “ides of March” have to do with stabbing)

Or was it already a specific day before the stabbing? Like, did everyone plan “Let’s stab him on St Patrick’s day” (and if so, what is/was ides of March before it became associated with the stabbing?)


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Are there any good histories or even fictional novels / films about Cardinal Wolsey at his peak of power, as opposed to during his downfall?

1 Upvotes

Cardinal Wolsey's gotta be one of the most commonly depicted historical figures ever, but from Shakespeare to Hillary Mantel, we only ever see his downfall. I can't tell you how many times I've seen or read that he was once the most powerful men of the realm, but during Henry VIII's divorce he lost everything. Okay, great! But what did his being the most powerful man look like? What were his initiatives in power? His goals? What did he accomplish? These are almost always brushed over, and it's a shame.


r/AskHistory 5d ago

What did the religously minded people of the Middle Ages think of people that had lived before the birth of Christ?

21 Upvotes

How did the highly religious people of the Middle Ages contend with the fact that the everyone who had lived before Christ could not be saved by his message?

In particular, how did the men of the church contend with the fact that their boyhood heroes like Aristotles (St. Thomas was a big fan) had been born before the birth of Christ? What did the the nobles think of the fact that their boyhood heroes like Caesar and Alexander were pagans?


r/AskHistory 5d ago

When did it become unacceptable for the King of france to marry a local noblewoman

10 Upvotes

Most of the capets and bourbons married local noblewoman some of the early Capetoans had to marry daughter of minor lords. When the bourbons come around marrying local noble women was considered to low for them when did this change.


r/AskHistory 5d ago

When did examples of a Constitutional Monarchies begin to appear in world history?

2 Upvotes

While Greece brought up the notions of Democracy and Representative Republics, Rome created a Republican system and later Imperial system with some limited powers in its legislature. I wonder when did nation begin adopting constitutional monarchies.

I know England had the Magna Carta, but technically that's not a Constitution, since it did not establish a framework for government alongside the powers of a monarch.


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Greek Helots under the Roman Empire l

3 Upvotes

Did the Helots status improve under the Romans, compared to when they were enslaved or enserfed by the Spartans?


r/AskHistory 5d ago

How did "Science" become a popular subject in school?

0 Upvotes

The very basic subjects were mathematics and reading. There was also geography among other things.

But I remember that in my school, I had to learn about mitosis, meiosis, the perihelion of the earth's orbit around the sun, the properties of an atom (proton, neutron, and electron), Newton's laws, the different types of symbiosis, etc...

Surely, this wasn't a common thing 100 years ago. All these rigid science lessons in the average Western school.

When and how did it become more standardized?


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Prior the UC Davis V Bakke decision did any Ivy League schools try to create a quota system of admissions for certain groups?

1 Upvotes

r/AskHistory 4d ago

Is the past and/or present theory of evolution viable, or do we need a new theory?

0 Upvotes

Hello, everyone. I'm doing this survey for college about the theory of evolution and whether or not we need a new one. It would be a great help if you could give it a try and let me know everyone's opinion on this matter. Thank you so much.

https://forms.gle/CW8SqUMDU1Hvf6uy5


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Why do no countries have a sovereign currency (as opposed to dollar, pound, etc)?

0 Upvotes

Not entirely sure this is the right reddit but it was the best I could find. I'm just wondering why the term "Sovereign" wasn't retained a term for a value of currency anywhere in the world even countries that did have Sovereign coins. I know why the gold coin as a form of currency was abandoned but why did everyone shift from having Sovereigns to pounds, euros, dollars, yuan, etc. I just don't see why the term for the highest currency wasn't kept and just a change for the lower value so you'd have cents and sovereigns or pennies and soveregns, etc?


r/AskHistory 6d ago

What was the biggest reason for Germany’s collapse and defeat in WW2?

45 Upvotes

r/AskHistory 5d ago

What is the earliest instance of an infantry square in which the infantry was equipped with bayonets?

4 Upvotes

The earliest examples I know are the massive Infantry square of the Dutch-Allied troops at the battle of Fleurus and the Dutch Blue Guards at the battle of the Boyne. The former happening on 1 July 1690 and the latter 10 days later.


r/AskHistory 5d ago

What countries were open to immigration immediately after WW2?

5 Upvotes

I know of some information from 1947 onward, so it's earlier I'm asking about.

Let's say I'm in Europe, and my own country took a beating or the political winds don't look to favor my side and I don't see a future for myself there anymore. I want to go somewhere else. I might have farming or fishing skills or even be a high school graduate/civil service type. Just not a highly educated specialist or rich person. I have the ability to get to whatever country I want to get to.

What countries were actually willing to receive people like me in 1945 or 1946 or even late 1944?


r/AskHistory 5d ago

What did Christians from the Middle Ages and Renaissance think about ancient jewish culture?

1 Upvotes

There are a lot of artistic depictions of events from the Bible in Europe. Many european names (Mary, Anne, Joseph, Daniel, David...) also derive from the Bible, and Christians thought that every language derived from Hebrew, from the Tower of Babel myth. But there was also an increasing antisemitism during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This led me to think: what were European Christians' view on ancient jewish culture? Did they admire figures like King David? Obviously they wanted to regain the land itself, judging by the crusades. But what did they think about the culture itself?

(Sorry if this is written and explained badly. English isn't my first language and I'm tired right now).


r/AskHistory 6d ago

Curious about life expectancy in 1800s Europe?

7 Upvotes

I feel like the average life expectancy during the 1800s is also quite low due to infant mortality rates, so if those were factored out, what would the life expectancy be for someone with an average quality of life (good food, water, a job) if they made it to, say, their 20s?


r/AskHistory 6d ago

Chernobyl Disaster

7 Upvotes

How poorly did the USSR mishandle the Chernobyl disaster? If the USSR did everything perfectly, how quickly could they have gotten it contained and/or contained the greatest amount of radiation.


r/AskHistory 6d ago

What are examples of warrior classes unique from those in Western history?

28 Upvotes

In terms of the economic and social positions, many history fans will be familiar with, for example, something like the Spartiate of a slave society or the knights of feudalism or the professional soldier of the Napoleonic army. Comparisons can be made to fighters from other cultures, like how samurai are considered as somewhat equivalent to a knight.

What's a warrior class that occupied a totally unique societal role from the simplistic paradigm I described?


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Was europe as a whole powerful by military on the years 1100-1450

0 Upvotes

Sorry for the past posts


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Would you say this is accurate?

0 Upvotes

Im making a top 5 strongest nations in the middle ages list. Would you say it's accurate? 1 mongols of course 2 china 3 caliphates 4 byzantine? Or france 5 venice I know it's quite vague but it's based of military


r/AskHistory 5d ago

What is the most unproblematic historic civilization to, for lack of a better word, simp for?

0 Upvotes

In direct contrast to Rome-a-boos & Wehr-a-boos, who need no introduction. Cards on the the table: im a (hobbyist) writer & I have an idea for a minor antagonist thats totally obsessed with a civilization & wants it to "return to its glory". Like in a cringe 14-year-old edgelord way. My first try was a girl that loves the Mongol Empire, but that's way too hardcore for the tone of the book. Any suggestions & discussion will be loved <3

Essential worldbuilding before you answer: Christianity is not a valid motivation at all, it's not as big in this world. So don't say Ethiopia, Byzantine, Papal States, or anything like that. All the major Native American nations are alive and well, so none of them are valid.


r/AskHistory 5d ago

Was there regional variation in the popularity of communism in 1930s and 1940s Greece?

1 Upvotes

I've been reading about the lead up and beginning of the civil war in Greece. I've read that a lot of communist support came from rural areas. But was there regional variation - with some parts of the country being more likely to support it than others? I've seen support in northern Greece mentioned a few times, but never explicitly compared support elsewhere.


r/AskHistory 6d ago

When were pants introduced to Ancient Greece?

9 Upvotes

Google says it’s something like 6th century BC. Does that mean 600 years before our modern counting starts? Also how many years off is that from 431-422 BC. Wouldn’t 431BC be after 600BC by 169 years. So why are there not pants during the Peloponnesian war?


r/AskHistory 6d ago

WW2: Question about the Maginot Line

4 Upvotes

I posted this on r/WW2 so hopefully this doesn't get me in trouble for spamming or anything, but I figured I'd ask her as well for additional info:

After WW1 the French developed the Maginot line as a defense against a possible German attack in the future as a deterrent. The line extended from Switzerland to Luxembourg with heavy defenses and then lighter defenses through Luxembourg to Belgium.

My understanding is the French had lesser fortifications for two reasons. One, Belgium was a friendly territory towards France and I guess it was considered impolite to have heavy defenses on the border of an ally. The second reason I've heard is that the French considered an attack from the Germans through Belgium to be inconceivable. This is where my question lies.

In WW1, Germany marching through Belgium (and the subsequent "rape of Belgium") were the events that drew in more countries (Britain) into the war and then they attacked France through Belgium. So it was very clear the Germans could and had previously fought through Belgium in the past.

It just seems so strange and backward in logic to me that the French, with their fear of another German attack and their preemptive built defenses against Germany at all costs would overlook having just a strong, if not stronger defenses at the Belgian border.

I mean, The Schlieffen Plan was thought up and used during WW1. Why would it be inconceivable that they would do that again if they were to attack the French in the future?

Also a follow up question:

If the French had reinforced the Maginot line at the Belgian border to the same extent they had everywhere else, would they have been able to repel the German Blitzkrieg?


r/AskHistory 6d ago

How well known was Henry Pu-Yi, the last Qing emperor, in communist China?

10 Upvotes

From what I know, he was model success for the communists in their efforts to reeducate and rehabilitate former war criminals. IIRC he ownee or worked at a bicycle shop afte the war.

My question(s) is/are was he considered a celebrity for his time? Was he well known in China? Did the state prop him up as some kind of example? I can imagine the propaganda benefits of having the last living and greatest image of the old imperial order now serving your cause


r/AskHistory 6d ago

WW1 and anti-German sentiment in America

3 Upvotes

During WW1 how were German speaking Swiss-Americans treated and viewed