This hooked metal tool was called a “strigil” by Ancient Romans. Centuries ago, such instruments were used in the process of bathing: you would scrape dirt, sweat, and the ubiquitous Mediterranean olive oil off your skin with it before your bath.
10,000 years ago is young in geological history. This relatively small number seems counterintuitive when one encounters the vast space of white sands in the…
Both birth control and abortion were common practices in the Ancient Mediterranean world. Although many examples of imperfect methods exist in our sources, (for instance,…
Every year, I write a historically themed Christmas Carol because history geek. So here’s this year’s! “Wake up Ye Blinded Gentlemen/Greek Metaphysics” (from “Oh Come…
