The following article was originally written in March of last year by Bridget Roddy, class of 2020, regarding her Theory to Practice grant and trip the Halmyris archaeology site in Romania in 2019. Halmyris is both a Greek word meaning “salt water” and the name of the ancient Roman fort that lies about four hours…
Category: Features
Frankish Law and the Wergeld in the Early Middle Ages By Drake Ogden
The law, both in its formation and its application, are cornerstones of most developed societies, and certainly the laws and customs of any group can speak volumes towards what exactly is valued by a people in any specific time and place. Our own laws (for the most part) represent not only what we collectively believe…
Medieval Combat By Amanda Hays
I looked outside my window and tried to figure out what I was going to wear. It was a gray and chilly October day; not too windy, but it threatened rain, so I finally decided on a long sleeve shirt with a sweatshirt over it. Thinking that it ought to keep me warm enough, I…
Only Foules Rush In: The Love Poem Behind Saint Valentine’s Day By Amanda Hays
That time of year has come again. February– a time of love, bad weather, and a hope that spring is just around the corner. Don’t the silvery, frosty days just make you want to cuddle up next to your crush and sip hot chocolate? I know, some of you are rolling your eyes and imitating…
Another Cheesy Love Poem By Madison Williams
I shall craft a new love song, One that stands true while winds of change batter at it. For my love seeks to test me: To study the measure of my love inch upon inch. To see the strength of my unrelenting bond. I am but a servant to my love. I bend on one…
The “Dirty” Middle Ages: A New Perspective By Capri Pappas
“Bring out your dead!” When one thinks of the Black Death, they usually picture the iconic scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the bodies are collected from the houses of the poor. The body collectors weave through tightly-knit towns, stacking up corpses on their cart—and some were still alive! This popular image…
The Accidental Classicist: An Interview with Dr. McOsker by Amanda Hays
For some of us, finding our interests and what we want to do with our lives comes naturally. Dancers may talk about how as young children they watched performances for hours, and scientists may explain how they had always had a fascination with observing the natural world. But others end up finding their calling because…
Medieval Monsters by Kaitie Welch
Monsters: how do we see them in a historical sense? Often times when asked this question, people look to the Middle Ages, perhaps because of popular role-playing games based on the era, others because of the air of superstition that shrouds that period of time. Whatever the case, The Cleveland Museum of Art displayed an…
Thrice-Told Tales: A New AMRS Course
The AMRS program has recently added a new course to its curriculum: AMRS 100.1: “Thrice-Told Tales.” This course delves into the stories that humans have been telling for millennia. It was created by Dr. Zackariah Long. I asked him some questions about the course to get more specifics. How did you come up with the…
Inside a Russian Monastery by Amanda Hays
A monk led us through the cathedral back outside. He was clothed in black robes and talked very softly. The cathedral was enormous, with beautiful artwork decorating every inch of wall,and it went up into a dome, making it appear more expansive. There were icons of Russian Orthodox saints with golden backgrounds everywhere. As we…