Category Archives: History

Why the West rules – for now

This is a question that anybody who is interested in Chinese history will eventually ask themselves. After all, the Chinese invented so many things: paper, printing, gunpowder, the compass, paper money – the list is endless. And early in the … Continue reading

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The Beacon at Alexandria

There are plenty of books in which the heroine disguises herself as a man without anybody finding out. However, few of them convince me, as they usually just brush over the practical problems like going to toilet or menstruation. It … Continue reading

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A History of Ancient Britain

I recently watched ‘A History of Ancient Britain’, an excellent BBC series by Neil Oliver about the settlement of Britain from its earliest time around 12’000 BC up to the bronze age. At times it focuses rather a lot on … Continue reading

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Richard III

Isn’t modern science an amazing thing? Over 500 years after England’s last Plantagenet king Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, scientists are piecing together his final moments. They can even make a guess what … Continue reading

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La Serenissima

The horses of Saint Mark, a set of four bronze horses, are one of the emblems of Venice, but few tourists know the history behind them. To anybody interested in delving deeper into the past of this fascinating city, I … Continue reading

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