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purple motes

Artifacts to help you imagine more.

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Highlights

  • Abelard castrated
  • Byzantine wife saves husband
  • Amphitryon & Geta duped
  • Chastelaine de Vergi tragedy
  • Aristotle’s advice to Alexander
  • Empress Theodora: woman leader
  • Tristan & Isuet
  • Xanthippe & Socrates
  • New Modern Sexism Scale

Eurasia

purple parchment, gold-lettered books across time and space

Books with purple parchment and gold lettering, both pagan and Christian, were known in ancient Rome, early Islamic Baghdad and early medieval Spain. … Read the post purple parchment, gold-lettered books across time and space

Panchatantra plays with Julius Caesar’s veni, vidi, vici

Within four centuries after Julius Caesar’s death, the Panchatantra used a cowardly donkey in playing with Caesar’s boast in Latin: “veni, vidi, vici.” … Read the post Panchatantra plays with Julius Caesar’s veni, vidi, vici

Christians in China between Tang and Yuan Dynasties

Christians in China survived between the Tang and Yuan Dynasties despite persecutions and little Christian institutional support. … Read the post Christians in China between Tang and Yuan Dynasties

Bar Sauma and Rubruck’s experiences of learned religious debate

Bar Sauma, a Christian born in China, debated with cardinals in Rome. Franciscan Friar William of Rubruck debated in the Mongol court in central Eurasia. … Read the post Bar Sauma and Rubruck’s experiences of learned religious debate

Bābak and the Khurramī revolt according to Wāqid's account

Wāqid’s account of Bābak and the Khurramī uprising figuratively denigrated Bābak and his fellow Khurramīs’ pre-Islamic, non-Arabic culture. … Read the post Bābak and the Khurramī revolt according to Wāqid's account

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