Democratic Society
Posted by MRL on Dec 31st 2006
Sparta had two kings that would rule in tangent and a council, offering a sort of checks and balance in their version of a democratic society. For continuity one king could then stay home to continue to rule while the other was leading the Spartans in battle....
The Viking Order
Posted by MRL on Dec 31st 2006
The Vikings were extremely fierce in battle and considered by those they attacked as blood thirsty barbarians. Some of this reputation came from the Viking code of ethics that allowed for blood feuds to be common place. And in fulfilling this code nothing was deemed out of bounds. There's even evidence of battles involving multiple men against another man. Maybe not fair by todays standards, but back then justice could be enforced by anyone wrong...
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Diet in the Roman Army
Posted by MRL on Dec 31st 2006
Generally army rations consisted of little else than wheat. The soldiers themselves would ground the grain they were given and made it into things such as porridge or bread.Whenever possible this monotonous army diet was supplemented with whatever was locally available like pork, fish, chicken, cheese, fruit and vegetables. But the basic ration of frumentum was never far from the soldiers stomach and formed the basis of their diet. So much so, th...
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