Like other modifications to one’s outside appearance, the choice to shave and develop a beard has had an important role in male fashion and self-representation throughout history. Ancient shaving techniques, which relied on dull blades, required painful plucking and exfoliation to get any kind of clean-shaven look, meaning men generally preferred to let their beards …
In the modern world, with so many motorized options for getting around, it’s easy to take the human-powered bicycle for granted. However, for as quickly as the bicycle has been replaced by faster, fuel-powered vehicles, it’s easy to think it’s an ancient invention that has finally been phased out. But this two-wheeled vehicle has only …
Ancient Sparta is one of the most well-known cities in Classical Greece. Known for its highly-skilled warriors, elitist society, and its reverence for stoicism, people today still look to the Spartans as model citizens in an idealist ancient society. Yet, as it often the case, many of the perceptions we have of Ancient Sparta are …
Life itself depends on salt, and people in early civilizations went to great lengths to acquire it. It was, and still is, used to preserve and season food, and it is important in medicine as well as religious ceremonies, all of which have made it a valuable trade commodity. Some early cultures even used it …
The history of Japan is an intriguing story. A nation of contrasts that attracts millions of visitors to its cities every year, this is a country where the modern and the ancient mix and mingle in everyday life. However, due to the destruction of WWII, Kyoto remains the best place in Japan to experience its …
Monumental advances in math, science, philosophy, government, literature, and art have made the Ancient Greeks the envy of world’s past and present. The Greeks gave us democracy, the scientific method, geometry, and so many more building blocks of civilization that it’s hard to imagine where we would be without them. However, images of Ancient Greece …