The Historian’s Hut

The Mythical Hero, Sigurd The Volsung, Had A Bad Habit Of Cutting His Enemies In Half - The Historian's Hut Spoken tales of the dragon-slayer, Sigurd, were around long before anyone took the time to write the legend down into a textual format. Even though the oldest surviving written accounts of Sigurd (or ...

The Mythical Hero, Sigurd The Volsung, Had A Bad Habit Of Cutting His Enemies In Half
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#history #mythology

A quote from Tacitus (c. 56-117+) about the ironic glorification of conquest and oppression.

Source: thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/t...
#history #quotes

The Frankish Scholar, Einhard, Saved The Genre Of Secular Biographies - The Historian's Hut Even though biographies of secular figures, such as state leaders, had been a common genre of texts in the classical period, the practice had fallen out of favor during the early Middle Ages. By the t...

The Frankish Scholar, Einhard, Saved The Genre Of Secular Biographies thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/26/t...
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Jia Yi - The Historian's Hut Jia Yi (c. 201-169 BCE) “Now the dullard gains favor and fame; the slanderers and the toady have their way. The wise and sage they turn aside; The upright they have toppled over.” Excerpt of Jia Yi’s ...

A quote from Jia Yi (c. 201-169 BCE) against people who turn away the wise and instead favor dullards, slanderers and toadies.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/j...
#history #quotes

The Last Feat Of The Warrior-Harpist, Aristonicus - The Historian's Hut By the end of 329 BCE, or the beginning of 328 BCE, Alexander the Great had conquered a large territory, spanning from Greece and Egypt in the west of his empire all the way through Persia, Parthia an...

The Last Feat Of The Warrior-Harpist, Aristonicus
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Thucydides - The Historian's Hut Thucydides (c. 460-400 BCE) “Most people, in fact, will not take trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.” History of the Peloponnesian War (Bo...

A quote from Thucydides (c. 460-400 BCE) about people's apathy toward the truth and their susceptibility to bias and misinformation.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/t...
#history #quotes

Battles Of Insults In Icelandic Sagas - The Historian's Hut Most cultures seem to have a signature element that they like to add to their literature. The ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed preparing long and elaborate speeches for their historical characters. T...

Battles Of Insults In Icelandic Sagas thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/26/b...
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A quote attributed to Olaf “Peacock” Hoskuldsson (c. 938-1006) about merit and foolishness in leadership.

Source: thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/o...
#quotes #history

The Interesting Relationship Between Emperor Gaozu And His Peasant Father - The Historian's Hut As was proper in ancient China, Emperor Gaozu showed great respect to his father, known only as the so-called “Venerable Sire” or “Sir Liu”. In fact, according to the historian, Sima Qian (c. 145-90 B...

The Interesting Relationship Between Emperor Gaozu And His Peasant Father
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/26/t...
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Lao Tzu - The Historian's Hut Lao Tzu (6th-5th century BCE) “The reason I have great trouble is that I have a body. When I no longer have a body, what trouble have I?” From Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching (Book One, XIII), translated by D....

A quote from the theologian and philosopher, Lao Tzu (6th-5th century BCE), about life, death, and senses. thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/l...
#history #quotes

The Peloponnesians Gave Their Enemy, Athens, A Large Fleet In The Middle Of The Battle Of Pylos - The Historian's Hut 425 BCE began almost identically to the six years of the Peloponnesian War that came before it. The Peloponnesians launched an invasion of the Athenian heartland in Attica, as they had diligently done...

The Peloponnesians Gave Their Enemy, Athens, A Large Fleet In The Middle Of The Battle Of Pylos
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/26/t...
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Lysander - The Historian's Hut Lysander (d. 395 BCE) “Children have to be tricked with dice, but men with oaths.” Quote attributed to Lysander in the Sayings of the Spartans, presumably collected by Plutarch, in On Sparta, translat...

A Spartan saying about trickery attributed to Lysander (d. 395 BCE). thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/l...
#history #quotes

Six Ways The Malleus Maleficarum Claimed Witches Specifically Harm Humans - The Historian's Hut In the bizarre book, The Malleus Maleficarum (published 1487), inquisitors Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger wrote down the strange beliefs and lore held by witch hunters, commenting on subjects such...

Six Ways The Malleus Maleficarum Claimed Witches Specifically Harm Humans
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/26/s...
#history #magic #witchcraft

Livy - The Historian's Hut Livy (c. 59 BCE – 17 CE) “The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see.” The H...

A quote from Livy (c. 59 BCE – 17 CE) about the benefits that can come from studying history.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/l...
#history #quotes

Emperor Gaozu Of China Was A Singer-Songwriter - The Historian's Hut In 195 BCE, Emperor Gaozu, the founder of the Han Dynasty, was returning to his capital city of Chang’an in order to recover from an arrow wound he had received while fighting the forces of a rebel ki...

Emperor Gaozu Of China Was A Singer-Songwriter
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/20/e...
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The Buddha - The Historian's Hut The Buddha (c. 6th-5th century BCE) “For oneself there is not even a self.” The Dhammapada (Verses on the Way, Chapter 5), recorded in the 3rd century BCE. Translation by Glenn Wallis, 2004.

A quote about selflessness from the Buddhist Dhammapada.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/t...
#history #quotes

A First-Hand Account Of A Flood In The Ancient City Of Rome

Read here: thehistorianshut.com/2025/10/29/a...
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This artwork, by the French artist Carle Vernet (1758 – 1836), depicts the death of Theseus' son, Hippolytus, from ancient Greek mythology. For more info on the artwork and the tales of mythology that inspired it, check out our article here: thehistorianshut.com/2025/10/29/d...
#history #art #myth

A quote from Herbert Krause (c. 1905-1976) about generational advancement.

Source: thehistorianshut.com/2025/10/29/h...
#quotes #history #books

Norwegian King Harald Hardrada And The Burning Of Scarborough - The Historian's Hut Harald “Hardrada” Sigurdsson lived one of the most dramatic lives of the 11th century. At the age of fifteen (in year 1030), Harald was smuggled out of Norway after his brother, the King-Saint Olaf, w...

Norwegian King Harald Hardrada And The Burning Of Scarborough
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/20/n...
#history #medieval

Tacitus - The Historian's Hut Tacitus (c. 56-117+) “Defeat in battle always begins with the eyes.” Germania (section 43) by Tacitus, translated by Harold Mattingly and edited by J. B. Rives. New York: Penguin Classics, 2009.

A quote from the Roman historian, Tacitus (c. 56-117+), about vision and defeat.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/t...
#history #quotes

The Frightened Beginning And Valiant End Of Bucephalas, The Beloved Horse Of Alexander The Great - The Historian's Hut According to the historical tradition of the ancients, it was around 344 BCE when a twelve-year-old Alexander the Great met Bucephalas, the horse that would carry him on conquests stretching from Gree...

The Frightened Beginning And Valiant End Of Bucephalas, The Beloved Horse Of Alexander The Great
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/20/t...
#history #trivia #didyouknow

Christine de Pizan - The Historian's Hut Christine de Pizan (c. 1364-1430) “Despite what the slanderers say, there’s a positively infinite number of countesses, baronesses, ladies, maidens, bourgeoises and women of every estate who are honou...

A quote from Christine de Pizan (c. 1364-1430) about honorable and distinguished women.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/c...
#history #quotes

The Spectacular Destruction Of Nero’s Gymnasium - The Historian's Hut Between the years 60 and 62, Emperor Nero (r. 54-68) dedicated a gymnasium that he had constructed in Rome. According to ancient sources such as Cassius Dio, Philostratus and Tacitus, it was a beautif...

The Spectacular Destruction Of Nero’s Gymnasium
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/15/t...
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Anna Komnene - The Historian's Hut Anna Komnene (c. 1083-1153) “Such is every barbarian – constantly lusting after massacre and war.” The Alexiad (Book IX, section 3) by Anna Komnene, translated by E.R.A. Sewter, (Penguin Classics, 200...

A quote from Anna Komnene (c. 1083-1153) about bloodthirsty barbarians.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/a...
#history #quotes

The Disastrous Athenian Invasion Of Aetolia In The 5th-Century BCE - The Historian's Hut According to the great Greek historian, Thucydides, an Athenian coalition led by Demosthenes invaded the region of Aetolia (located north of the Peloponnesus and west of Athens) around 426 BCE. His fo...

The Disastrous Athenian Invasion Of Aetolia In The 5th-Century BCE thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/13/t...
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Luo Guanzhong - The Historian's Hut Luo Guanzhong (14th century) “The wise bird carefully choses its branch; the wise servant likewise is careful in the choice of his master.” The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (chapter 3) by Luo Guanzho...

A quote from Luo Guanzhong (14th century) about wise choices.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/l...
#history #quotes

The Chinese Kingmaker, Xiang Yu, Created Or Affirmed At Least Nineteen Kingdoms In The Intermission Between the Qin and Han Dynasties - The Historian's Hut Xiang Yu and his uncle, Xiang Liang, joined the rebellion started by Chen She in 209 BCE, which set in motion events that would topple the Qin Dynasty in China. Once the rebels had secured a foothold,...

The Chinese Kingmaker, Xiang Yu, Created Or Affirmed At Least Nineteen Kingdoms In The Intermission Between the Qin and Han Dynasties
thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/13/t...
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Geoffrey Chaucer - The Historian's Hut Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1342-1400) “Never let innocence besot your head, But take the helm yourselves and trim the sail.” The Canterbury Tales (Envoy to the Clerk’s Tale) by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated ...

A quote from Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1342-1400) about taking the helm and setting sail.
thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/03/g...
#history #quotes

The Strange Tale Of A Man Who Supposedly Believed He Lost His “Manhood” Because Of Witchcraft - The Historian's Hut During the age of witch-hunts, infertility, miscarriages and sexual impotence were often attributed to the nefarious deeds of witches. The witch-hunters also apparently believed that witches had the a...

The Strange Tale Of A Man Who Supposedly Believed He Lost His “Manhood” Because Of Witchcraft thehistorianshut.com/2018/04/13/t...
#history