Herodotus told this story and as with many of his tales, take it with a grain of salt. Once upon a time, the Greeks defeated the Amazons in a battle. They captured a number of Amazon warriors and shipped them home in three ships. On the voyage, the Amazons Read more…
I go way back with Marguerite. My favorite Korean War reading assignment was one of her stories about a North Korean attack on an American unit that she was embedded with. I also used to tell an anecdote about her (see below) which got me called into the principal’s office. Read more…
The Mediterranean world was not big enough for both Octavian and Marc Antony. Political allies in the Second Triumvirate, the two most powerful Romans had broken up with Octavian taking the western half of the Roman Empire and Antony taking the east. Antony made his capital Alexandria, Egypt where Read more…
The death of Cleopatra is shrouded in legend. We do know that it occurred after the defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet at Actium in 31. Supposedly, Marc Antony fled the battle when he saw Cleopatra’s ship leaving the battle. He chased after his girlfriend, abandoning his fleet Read more…
Wigs for men and women became a thing in the 16th Century. Most men that wore them were trying to hide baldness because healthy hair was a mark of good breeding. Louis XIV of France helped popularize them. He was going bald in his teenage years. Most of Read more…
The 14th Continental Regiment twice had a role in saving the American Revolution. If not for them, the United States would have gone the route of Canada. The unit was created as a militia in January, 1775 in anticipation of trouble with England. Most of the men were fishermen. Read more…
In 1337, the Hundred Years’ War began when British King Edward III claimed the throne of France. On July 12, 1346, he invaded Normandy with an army of 4,000 knights, 5,000 men-at-arms with spears, and 7,000 archers armed with longbows. He launched a chevauchee, which was a march through Read more…
The coal fields of West Virginia were terrible places to work. Not only was the job dangerous, but the housing was poor and the pay was low. Miners lived in company towns provided by the owners. They were paid in scrip which could only be used to buy from Read more…
I have been a fan of history since junior high. When I became an American History teacher, I made it my goal to make my course as interesting as possible. I did this through anecdotes that I encountered over the years. When I retired, I started this web site to Read more…
When I was in high school, I wrote report on Banestre Tarleton. I do not remember why I chose him. I certainly was not a Tory, but I must have been attracted to his villainy. It seems appropriate to explore this fascinating man again, after almost 50 years, because Read more…