ARTICLES ARCHIVE

 

You can find a complete listing of all the articles on this site here. They are listed in reverse chronological order, and are all clickable links. Twenty-five articles are displayed per page, with the publication date included. To find older articles, click on the page numbers at the bottom.

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  • The Iconic Weapon Of The Red Army: The Soviet PPSh-41

    There are some weapons that have become so identified with an era or organization that one only needs to lay eyes on them to be reminded of the same.  The Soviet PPSh-41 is one such weapon.  Its ribbed, chromed barrel, drum magazine, sturdy wooden stock, and downward sloping muzzle are all instantly recognizable.  If an…

  • The Engrossed

    Seneca had a word for men who were consumed with the chase after worldly riches and pleasures to the exclusion of everything else.  He called them occupati, the past participle of the verb occupare.  They were so busy in this obsessive, single-minded pursuit of the phantoms of prosperity that they never properly set aside time…

  • Ancient Treatment For The Common Cold

    In a recent article we discussed Celsus’s ideas on treatment for depression and melancholy.  We now look at his prescription for dealing with the common cold, an ailment that until this day has defied a consistent cure.  What is interesting about his treatment suggestions is that they seem to be about as effective as anyone…

  • Why Consoling Friends Is Important (Podcast)

    When we see a friend is hurting, is it better to try to offer help, or to ignore the problem?

  • The Wisdom And Judgment Of Ibn Abi Duwad

    Ibn Abi Duwad was a judge (القاضي) who was born in Basra around A.D. 776.  He lived during the reign of the eighth Abbasid caliph Al-Mu’tasim.  An Arabic historian relates the following wise sayings of his, along with an amusing anecdote.  We will relate them here.

  • Sunday Film Roundup (10/16/2016)

    And here.  We.  Go. Cold In July (2014) Director:  Jim Mickle Southern gothic is alive and well in this independent, seedy little crime drama.  It’s a throwback to the great B-films of the 1970s, and well worth watching of this sort of thing is your bag.  This movie is a good companion film to No…

  • Ancient Treatment For Depression And Melancholia

    What did the ancients think about depression, and how to cure it?  We will look at the views of Celsus, who wrote the most complete medical guide that has survived from Roman times (excluding the writings of Galen).

  • The Courage Of Andreas

    In the year 530 the Eastern Roman (i.e., Byzantine) Empire was engaged in a limited frontier war with its traditional enemy, the Sassanid Persians.  The two great empires had a long history of border clashes, as each constantly was testing the resolution of the other.  One of the engagements that took place in this year…

  • The Dragunov Sniper Rifle (SVD)

    Those who follow the war in Syria on YouTube or Twitter will likely be familiar with the unique profile of the Soviet sniper rifle officially known as the SVD (Samozariyadnyia Vintokvka Dragunova). Unofficially, of course, it goes by the name Dragunov.  The weapon has a long record of reliable service, having first appeared in 1963.…

  • Sunday Film Roundup (10/9/2016)

    Here’s what the cat brought in this week.  I’ve got two movies to talk about this week, and both of them are worth seeing.  This doesn’t happen very often, so I’m grateful.

  • Fear Or Love? The Views Of Cicero And Machiavelli (Podcast)

    Is it better to be feared or loved?  This famous question is more nuanced than people think, and was addressed specifically by Cicero in “On Duties” as well as by Machiavelli in his “Prince” and “Discourses.”  Yet there has been much oversimplification and misunderstanding on this subject. We also discuss whether Stoicism lends itself to…

  • The Pearl Of Peroz

    Peroz I (or Pirouz) was a Persian king who wore the royal diadem from about A.D. 459 to 484.  The Greek historian Procopius (I.4.18) relates a great fable about him and his pearl, which we will reproduce here.  As is often the case with these enchanting old tales, the reader will be asked to suspend his credulity…

  • The Genesis Of Greek Fire

    The compound known as “Greek fire” was the Byzantine navy’s secret weapon.  It was a flammable liquid hydrocarbon that could be blown through tubes, thrown in sealed pots, or poured on the heads of soldiers attacking fortifications.  Its precise composition was a state secret; and this was kept so well that even now we are…

  • Travel Advice For A Young Man. Looking For Sympathy (Podcast)

    In this podcast episode we focus on two different questions.  In the first question, we look at some of the most valuable tips for a young guy in his 20s who has never traveled before.

  • Sunday Film Roundup (10/2/2016)

    The past week was not especially great, but not a complete disaster.  Here’s the damage, spelled out.

  • The Flight Of Charles Nungesser

    Everyone has heard of Charles Lindbergh, but only the most dedicated student of early aviation history would recognize the name Charles Nungesser.  But he came close to beating Lindbergh across the Atlantic; and if we may believe the optimistic speculations of some, it is possible he may even have been the first to “cross” the…

  • The Seven Sleepers

    We all desire to retain a sense of connection to the past.  It is part of human nature.  Too sudden a break with tradition can produce something very much like insanity; in individuals we call this a broken mind, and in nations we call it revolution.  And both of these reactions are destructive.  And at…

  • Five Lessons Drawn From Recent Emails (Podcast)

    Out of some recent emails, I’ve extracted five lessons that are worth remembering.  

  • Sunday Film Roundup (9/25/2016)

    I’ve decided to bring back the film review posts due to popular demand.  So here are a few movies I’ve seen recently, with my opinions of them.  I’ve said it before, and will say it again:  movies can open up windows of creativity for you.  If you see the right ones, they can help you…

  • The First Rule Of Soviet Military Doctrine: Only The Offensive Brings Victory

    I am an admirer of the author Victor Suvorov.  I wish I could meet and speak with him.  He served for thirty years as an officer in the Soviet Army before defecting to the West in the 1980s.  In his book Inside The Soviet Army, he tells the following anecdote:

  • Murder On The High Seas: The Weird Case Of Ansell Nickerson

    Justice, as we all know, does not always win out in the end.  Sometimes the wicked escape unpunished for their crimes, for a variety of reasons.  This seems to have been what happened with one strange murder case I read about recently.  It is notable for the involvement of the future president John Adams in…

  • The Greatness Of Alp Arslan

    The first of the Seljuk sultans was Togrul Beg.  Of him Edward Gibbon said, “It would be superfluous to praise the valour of a Turk; and the ambition of Togrul was equal to his valour.”  This is a supreme compliment, and entirely true.  By the time of his death in 1063 he had firmly laid…

  • Justice Should Remain Blind

    One of the greatest of the medieval Turkish princes was Mahmud of Ghazni (محمود غزنوی) or Mahmud Ghaznawi.  He lived from about 971 to 1030.  During this time his forces conquered large parts of what is now Iran, Afghanistan, and northern India.  It was apparently for him that the title of sultan was first invented.

  • How To Avoid Burnout (Along With A Hidden Question) (Podcast)

    The question here is: “How do I avoid burnout?” But–as is often the case–I sense a hidden question lurking below the surface here that deals with isolation and loneliness. We discuss some answers.

  • The Soviet Union’s Philosophy Of Weapons Design

    The Soviet Union is no more, as everyone knows.  Its political system proved to be unsuccessful; it was incapable of adapting to the challenges of history.

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Original copy of Cicero’s De Officiis (On Duties) published in Holland in 1642.  From the collection of Fortress of the Mind.