Too Many Wives: Disputed Imperial Parentage and the Search for An Heir
Leo VI was born on 19 September 866 and as the second son of the emperor Basil I (867-886), he was crowned as junior emperor in 870 and...
Silbannacus: An Unknown Emperor
Say hello to Imperator Mar. Silbannacus Augustus. No, I had not heard of him either, which is hardly surprising as there is no record of...
A Soldier and a Scholar 12 - Athens IV: The Fall of Tyrants
Episode 12: We reach a pivotal point in Athenian history with the tyranny of Pisistratus, whose reforms pave the way for democracy and...
“Hereditary” Papal Succession? Anastasius I and Innocent I
“puto, ut sancti Innocentii, qui apostolicae cathedrae et supra dicti viri successor et filius est, teneas fidem” “I think that you...
The Ancient History of Mann
An island from the end of the Ice Age in Britain, the earliest identified inhabitants of the Isle of Mann were hunter-gatherers and...
A Soldier and a Scholar 11 - Athens III: Solon and the Athenian Constitution
Episode 11: Aric and Dr Crawford move on to character of Solon and the the constitutional changes he introduced to the Athenian system of...
All the Constantines
I had largely finished the outline of this blog by the time I found Clive Foss’ numismatic-based look at ‘Emperors called Constantine’...
Paid to Behave: The Traprain Law Hoard
Those of you who have been following CANI since the earliest days of its 2014 reincarnation, you will know that the hoard of Roman silver...
A Soldier and a Scholar 10 - Athens Part II: Killed Over a Cabbage?!?
Episode 10: Aric and Dr Crawford take a look at the evolution of Athenian Law and the Athenian system, starting with the extreme...
GoTAH VIc – Harbinger of Change – The Reception of Comets amongst the Greco-Romans
While in the East, a great blaze of light in the sky could be a hopeful sign of the rise of a powerful leader, the Greco-Romans dreaded...
The Line of Augustus
With the demise of Nero – the last Julio-Claudian emperor – you would be forgiven for thinking that the extinguishing of that dynasty...
Sentius the Centurion and Trajan's Conquest of Adiabene
The otherwise unknown Sentius wrote his name into the annals of Roman history, specifically Cassius Dio LXVIII.22.3, on the backdrop of...
A Soldier and a Scholar 9 - Athens Part I
Episode 9: Aric and Dr. Crawford turn their attention to the other great city state of fifth century BC Greece... Athens...
GoTAH VIb: The Harbinger of Change - the Reception of Comets in Eastern Traditions
The mixed reactions to the Red Comet recorded in A Clash of Kings and the concordant early episodes of the second season of Game of...
The Intercalary Triumphs and the Missing Month
What do the Roman victories of Gaius Duilius over the Sicilians and Carthaginians in 260/259BC, Publius Cornelius Lentulus over the...
Monte Cassino and the Destruction of Historical Sites
Is it ever permissible to destroy a site or building of historical value because of possible military applications? The damage done by...
A Soldier and A Scholar 8 - "Because Sparta was Sparta" Part IV - Spartan Military Might
A (hopefully) fun and accessible portal into Ancient History, with some academic and 'real world' insights. Episode 8: Aric and Dr....