The Blogographer

The ‘Donation of Odoacer’ Part II: Documenting the Donation We saw last time that the career of Pierius must have been significant enough before his appearance in the historical record for Odoacer to promote him to his chief bodyguard, comes domesticorum. The ...

Odoacer giving away land to his underlings? How do we know?

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and A Scholar 21 - 10 year Interbellum - Persia Episode 21: Between Marathon and the next Persian invasion of Greece, the Achaemenid Empire faced ten years of upheaval, with the death of a great king, several rebellions, and the challenge of gather...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

The 'Donation of Odoacer' Part I: The Career of Pierius Flavius Odoacer is most famous as the man who deposed the ‘last’ western emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476, becoming the first non-Roman ruler of Italy for centuries. He did technically act as a vicer...

Odoacer's reign in Italy is enlightened by a document signed by the man himself...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and A Scholar 54 - A Honourable Sunset Episode 54 - An Athenian general returns from exile for one last hurrah... https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-54-a-sunset-with-honorA (hopefully) fun and accessible portal into Ancie...

ASAS54 - An Athenian general returns from exile for one last hurrah...
ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

A Soldier and a Scholar 20 - The Impact and Legends of Marathon Episode 20: A break down the impact of the battle of Marathon, its fallout, and some of the incredible stories and legends told by soldiers at the battle https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Almost Up-setting the Order: The Kharijite Statelets of the Second Fitna (ii) The Najdat The doctrinal divide that sealed the fate of Qatari’s burgeoning Azariqa statelet in Kirman was not the first instance of such internal strife. When al-Azraq was driven out of Basra by the Zubayrids, not all of his followers went with him to Ahwaz. A group under Najda b. Amir al-Hanafi disagreed with al-Azraq’s leadership and moved south-west to join the Kharijites of Abu Talut in Yamama, a region from where Najda hailed.Upon moving into Yamama, Abu Talut had established himself on a large tract

There was not just one statelet looking to upset the religious divide during the Second Islamic Fitna...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 19 - The Battle of Snickers... err... Marathon Episode 19: The first great contest between a Greek army and the Persians in Greece... https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-19-the-battle-of-marathon/ A (hopefully) fun and accessibl...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Almost Up-setting the Order: The Kharijite Statelets of the Second Fitna (i) The Azariqa Most of the focus on the Second Fitna – the second civil war that engulfed the Arab caliphate upon the accession of Yazid I, son of Mu’awiyah I, in April 680 and lasted until late 692 – usually falls ...

Within 50 years, the Islamic caliphate was rent into several parts and during the Second Fitna, there was almost a major reordering of the sectarian divide...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 18 - Revenge on Naxos and Eritrea Episode 17: Persia crosses the Aegean sea once more to continue exacting revenge on the Greek world, this time at the expense of Eritrea and Naxos.....Clearing the path for a mainland invasion to seek...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Crowned in utero - the Youngest Ruler in History? History is littered with instances of power being thrust upon children of a young age. Ivan the Terrible became Grand Prince of Moscow aged 3; Puyi, the last emperor of China, ascended at just 2 years...

Were the Persians so desperate to have a king that they crowned a child before he was born?!?

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

From Aberglaube (Superstition) to Zweifrontenkrieg (Two-front War): 210 Reasons for the Decline of the Roman Empire Look at a map of the Roman Empire in 420 and you might be forgiven for thinking that talk of a decline was a little overblown. In terms of outline, the empire does not look all that different from its...

In regular thoughts about the Roman Empire, what reason(s) do you come up with for its decline and fall? Is that list as long as... 210?!?

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

Is Diocletian's removing himself to his palace in 305 the first instance of extended gardening leave?

A Soldier and a Scholar 17 - The Persian Empire Strikes Back! Episode 17: The Persian revenge tour begins with the arguably incorrect title of the 'First' Persian invasionhttps://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-17-the-empire-strikes-backpersia-invad...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

When Scribes Mess Up: An Ambrosian Doublet in the Muratorian Manuscript We all make mistooks when writing. I made one in teh first sentence of this blog. And the second… (and my word processor informs me that the third is a fragment that I should consider revising…)"To er...

Medieval scribes were not immune to massive mistakes...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 16 - The Battle of Lade Episode 16: Since the burning of Sardis, things have steadily collapsed for the Ionian rebels, to the point that they are left with a last major sea battle at Lade against the Persian fleet... What ch...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

The Original Christian Heretic Throughout its history, the Christian Church has had to deal with its own ever-developing understanding of aspects of its own faith as various thinkers raised questions that had yet to be answered. Di...

It did not take very long for there to be a heresy in the Christian Church...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 15 - Ionian Revolt: Cities Burning Episode 15: The Ionian Revolt kicks off in style with Persian cities burning, big bribes being made, and one of the worst Father in Laws EVER!!! https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-15...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

The Last Vestal? The Vestal Virgins are one of the most evocative establishments of Ancient Rome. They might not know exactly what they were or what they did, but the name of Vestal Virgin can spark something in many ...

With the Christianisation of the Roman Empire, the old pagan cults started to fade... do we have know of the last Vestal?

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

The Real Severans VI: Was This The Best They Had? Were There Other ‘Severans’? Had Severus Alexander not suffered a mutinous death at the hands of the supporters of Maximinus Thrax, perhaps instead dying of an illness whilst on campaign without having annoyed the military, what ...

NEW: Were there other potential Severan emperors?

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 14 - Ionian Revolt I: Naxos + Idiot = World Shaping Events Episode 14: On this episode, we tell you the story of a man named Aristogoras....A man who set into motion the most pivotal period of events in Western Civilization via a series of.....Screw ups. htt...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

The Imperial Apostate, the Great Saint and the Three Loaves of Bread It may have been short, but Julian’s reign as sole emperor was nothing if not eventful: dispelled fear of war with Constantius II, overseeing his predecessor’s funeral, convening a tribunal to look in...

When two former schoolmates - an emperor and a saint - almost comes to blows over loaves of bread

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

Fooling a Forger: 'Pompicus' and the Renegade Deserter Ancient Greek philosophers - the term conjures up the names of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, with the stories of hemlock, the Academy and teaching Alexander the Great not far behind. But how often wo...

Suspicions that a philosopher who has discovered 'new' speeches might not be telling the truth? How about you set a trap for him...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 13 - Athens V: Tyrants, Kings and Approaching War Episode 13: Spurned lovers, backstabbing, foreign invasion, exile and plotting... all in 'preparation' for the Persian Wars...https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-13-a-game-of-tyrants/...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Well That Aged Well: Justinian II Podcast

How does a Roman emperor lose his throne and his nose only to regain both?!? Check out this entry in the Well That Aged Well podcast

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

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 then became direct heir to the throne on the premature death of ...

What happens when a dispute over parentage reaches the imperial level? Suspicion and desperation for a legitimate heir...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

A Soldier and A Scholar 53 - The Fall of Inaros Episode 53 - With the river diverted, the Athenians and their Egyptian allies are no longer in de-Nile... this expedition and rebellion is doomed...https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar...

ASAS 53 - With the river diverted, the Athenians and their Egyptian allies are no longer in de-Nile... this expedition and rebellion is doomed...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

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 whose sons play a role in bringing about the Persian Wars...https...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

A Brief History of 'Byzantine' Mutilation

CAUTION! Things are about to get messy in a 'cutting off of body parts way..."!

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...
@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

“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 should keep the faith of St. Innocent, who is the successor and son ...

Not only were popes not always meant to be celibate, they also had children... but might one of those children have succeeded his father at some point?
@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

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 fishermen of the Mesolithic period, who were capable of rudimentary ...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...