Episode #100 - Patron Questions
History Is Sexy
Deep Dive
What is one of Janina's historical hills she would die on?
Anne Boleyn was smart, politically savvy, and interesting, and it drives her nuts when people portray her as a silly little girl who got caught up in things. Anne Boleyn did not have a sixth finger; that was a myth.
What is Oliver's historical hill he would die on?
In historical battle scenes, archers never held their bows at full draw. It's exhausting and impractical. The command 'knock, draw, loose' is a cinematic invention and doesn't make sense in real archery.
Why does Emma think Carthage was not actually salted by the Romans?
The idea that the Romans salted the earth of Carthage to prevent anything from growing there is a myth that originated in the 1930s. Ancient sources only mention the destruction and burning of Carthage, and the medieval idea of ploughing the earth to erase all traces evolved into the salting myth.
What is Janina's take on the sexiest thing in history?
Julie D'Aubigny, an opera singer and duelist, is one of the sexiest figures in history. She fenced men into submission and allegedly had affairs with their wives. She also broke into a nunnery to rescue her female lover, burning down the convent in the process.
What is Oliver's favorite alternate history scenario?
If the princes in the Tower had survived to adulthood and fought off the Tudors, the political landscape of England might have been very different. Another scenario is if Elizabeth I had married and had an heir, which could have prevented the union of Scotland and England and reduced the Tudor obsession with producing a male heir.
What is Emma's favorite alternate history scenario?
A turning point in history if John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry had succeeded, leading to a successful slave revolt and the establishment of a black republic. This scenario unfolds into a world where black astronauts land on Mars in 1959.
Who are the hosts' problematic historical favorites and why?
Janina: Napoleon III, who was a dictator but had sympathetic goals. Emma: Caligula, who was awful but fascinating due to his unique position in Roman history and his difficult childhood. Oliver: Lenin and Tito, both of whom had significant flaws but also positive contributions to their respective societies.
What is a lesser-known winter solstice tradition that Emma finds interesting?
In Catalonia, there is a tradition called molybdomancy, where small trinkets are melted in a spoon over a candle and then poured into cold water. The shape of the resulting blob is supposed to predict the future for the new year.
What is a unique Catalan Christmas tradition mentioned in the episode?
Catalan nativity scenes often include a figure called the Caganer, a man or woman in Catalan costume squatting and doing a poo. There is also a tradition of filling a log and beating it until it poos out treats.
What is the hosts' stance on the assassination of Julius Caesar?
They support the assassination of Julius Caesar, arguing that it was necessary to prevent him from consolidating power and becoming a tyrant. They believe that Caesar respected nothing and no one and had already begun to undermine the Roman Republic.
- Anne Boleyn was intelligent and politically astute, contrary to common portrayals.
- The depiction of archers in films is historically inaccurate.
- The myth of Caligula making his horse a consul is false, originating from unreliable sources.
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