ladyroyalkiwi

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Today's Flickr photo with the most hits: murals at the House of Venus in the Shell, Pompeii.

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He was very tall and extremely pale, with an unshapely body, but very thin neck and legs.​ His eyes and temples were hollow, his forehead broad and grim, his hair thin and entirely gone on the top of his head, though his body was hairy. Because of this to look upon him from a higher place as he passed by, or for any reason whatever to mention a goat, was treated as a capital offence. While his face was naturally forbidding and ugly, he purposely made it even more savage, practising all kinds of terrible and fearsome expressions before a mirror.   Suetonius: Life of Caligula

It's probably the empty eye-sockets that do it but I have always felt that this cast bronze portrait captures the spirit of Caligula, the mad emperor as the stories paint him. I wouldn't say he was ugly though, Suetonius.

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A very cool shield from the Roman times.

The only surviving Roman scutum in existence, photographed recently in London by © Cody Rankin

All these photographs belong to Cody Rankin

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The city of Pompeii

Hi Tumblers,

Pompeii was a city of poor and rich which was coated in layers of ash in the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Vesuvius caused a unique and strange cast of ash surrounding its victims which has kept the bones safe from degrading over time and has allowed tourists to view the victims' last actions before their deaths. There were 2,000 victims in Pompeii after the eruption and there were 300 victims from Herculaneum (the neighbouring city). Along with the bodies being frozen in time, Pompeii and Herculaneum kept many artefacts and paintings safe from time. For example, a famous painting by the name of Museo Civico Archeologico di Bologna was kept safe from degrading due to the Volcanic ash (this famous painting can be seen below). Furthermore, it is said that the city of Pompeii (when dug up) looked unfinished with there being many crumbled buildings that clearly didn't happen due to the eruption. In fact, in 62CE there was said to be an earthquake which destroyed many buildings and caused a lot of damage on the city which explains the 'unfinished' building work. According to the historian Tacitus, 'a large part of Pompeii collapsed' due to the earthquake in 62CE. What's your favourite part of Pompeii?

From,

LRK

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The Black Death

Hi Tumblers,

The Black Death was arguably a turning point in history because of its massive effect it had on the economy and on society during the 14th century. The Black Death spread to Britain in 1348-50 which startled many physicians (doctors) and began killing many people. Harry A Miskimin states that ‘the most far-reaching event of the later Middle Ages was beyond doubt the plague of 1348-49, reinforced in its effects by its subsequent recurrences…’ which displays how catastrophic this illness truly was. It is thought that the Black Death destroyed more than a third of the population within Europe which caused a wide-spread shortage in craftsmen, servants and, workmen. All of these reasons meant that the economy was badly effected and that society was effected also. What do you think? Was the Black Death in the 14th century a turning point in history?

From,

LRK

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‘No other movement of religious protest…has been so widespread or lasting in its effects’ (Dr Euan Cameron)

Hi tumblers,

This is a quote from Dr Euan Cameron's book, 'The European Reformation' (2012) which argues that the reformation of the Christian religion demonstrated how necessary it was for change to take place within the Catholic Church. Too many people were withdrawn from the Catholic religion and they needed a new branch of Christianity to be preached. The ‘Lutheran Reformation’ was the beginning of the Protestant movement throughout Europe which made Luther's preaching extremely important to the history of the Christian religion. This Protestant movement can be compared with Zwingli and Calvin's own protestant preaching thus demonstrating the Lutheran branch as being more effective to society with its growing popularity over Catholicism. I think that the Lutheran movement was a very important step to the development of Protestantism however, I believe Luther, Zwingli and Calvin all took different approaches to sharing their message therefore, they are all important figures to Protestantism spreading in Europe. Luther began the preaching outside of Catholicism in 1517 which created the path for Protestantism however, he did not create the true meaning of being a Protestant believer on his own. What do you think?

from

LRK

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Will it cluck, or will it bark? In either case, a pink chicken-dog gazes skyward in the bottom margin of f. 250r, Ms. Codex 724, a 13th century Bible. #drollerydonnerstag

🔗:

[ladyroyalkiwi]

Essay writing

Hi,

I'm a history student at university and I would really appreciate any advice anyone could give about writing essays and what could improve my essays. I focus on medieval and ancient history.

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‘Bede’s mind was dominated by the Christian religion’ - Gransden, Antonia, Historical writing in England c.550 to c.1307, (Published Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1974)

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What is a chronicle?

Hello tumblr users,

For me, a chronicle is an insight into the thoughts and feelings of that particular chronicler during the time. Realistically a chronicler could be anyone; however, during the medieval times (especially in Britain) many were illiterate therefore, chroniclers tended to be monks, noblemen or, wealthy that wrote about their current events. This gave them the power to change history in how they would like it to be viewed. Perhaps they didn't write chronicles with the intent for others in the future to study them like they do today, but...maybe that's what they wanted. I find chronicles fascinating and not just because of what is written within them. I love the art that has been created. For example, in Matthew Paris' chronicles, he draws pictures of himself in the margins which tells historians that he loves himself. I find that funny and warming to know that people back then could feel or be perceived like this. Sometimes when studying history, you forget that the people you read about and hear about were real and that they lived normal lives. History isn't purely about nobility or about the economy of the time or anything like that; but it is about their way of life and how different things are today.

from

LRK

Matthew Paris' self portrait within the margin of one of his chronicles