Podcast Transcript The Roman Republic existed for almost 500 years. The Romane Empire then existed for almost another 500 years. The two institutions had a great deal in common, but they radically differed in how Rome was administered. The Republic was set up explicitly to prevent the rule of a single individual, and yet, during …
Podcast Transcript In 1582, a Japanese nobleman by the name of Lord Otomo Sorin sent a group of envoys to Europe. The entire round trip of their journey took eight years, and along the way, they visited several European countries and met multiple European heads of state, including two popes. It was hoped that their …
Podcast Transcript In the early 13th century, England suffered through the worst monarch it would have in its history: King John. John and his arbitrary policies and high taxation angered the nobility, the church, and the common people. However, out of his disastrous reign came something good. An uprising against his rule forced him to …
Podcast Transcript China has a long and rich history. For over 4,000 years, China, or at least parts of what we would recognize as China, was ruled by a series of dynasties. These dynasties shaped the history of China and represented distinct eras in Chinese history, characterized by their unique political, cultural, and social systems. …
Podcast Transcript The First World War was one of the most devastating conflicts in human history. When the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, the fighting might have stopped, but the impact of the war continued. Today, over a century after the war concluded, it can still be felt. Not in the third or …
Podcast Transcript Sound travels fast. Very fast. However, it is not so fast that we can’t recognize that it has a finite speed. The speed of sound was estimated and later measured centuries ago, but it was only recently that it has been possible actually travel faster than the speed of sound. It turns out …
Podcast Transcript During the Roman Republic, the highest office that someone could aspire to was that of consul. Every year, two men were elected consul, and it was such a high honor it would help your family for generations. …except that it actually wasn’t the highest office. There was one office that was higher, but …
Podcast Transcript People are fascinated by extremes. We are interested in the biggest, strongest, fastest, and tallest. I’m certainly no exception. One of the things I’ve been fascinated with is the past, and in particular, very old things. Things which have withstood the test of time. So, let’s learn more about the oldest things in …
Podcast Transcript One of the most popular foods in the world is tomatoes. Tomatoes are grown almost everywhere in the world today, and they have become the basis of several international cuisines. However, just a few hundred years ago, very few people were eating tomatoes as we know them today. In fact, even after they …