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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  • Synesius’s Wise Advice On Kingship

    By 400 A.D. the Roman state was struggling with severe problems both internal and external.  In 395, the Goths, a foreign nation Rome had unwisely permitted to settle within the empire’s borders, initiated an armed revolt, and laid waste to the provinces south of the Danube.  “[They] boldly avowed the hostile designs,” says Gibbon, “which…

  • Italica

    The Battle of Ilipa was fought in Spain in 206 B.C. between a Roman army commanded by P. Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus) and Carthaginian forces under Hasdrubal Gisco and Mago, the brother of the renowned Hannibal. 

  • Vegetius Discusses The Importance Of The Martial Virtues

    We know almost nothing of the life and career of the Roman military writer Vegetius.  Historical references in his books suggest that he flourished in the late fourth century A.D.  His work on Roman military affairs, De Re Militari (On Military Science) is a revealing window on the state of the empire’s military preparedness in…

  • The Leadership Principles Of Iphicrates

    History distinguishes the Athenian general Iphicrates for the superlative quality of his leadership, the extent of his martial innovations, and his understanding of the psychological dimension of war.  He lived from about 418 B.C. to 353 B.C.  We will discuss some of the leadership principles that may be distilled from the writings of two ancient…

  • Better Exile Than Submission: The Passion Of Dante Alighieri

    Dante Alighieri was born in 1265 to Bella and Alighiero Alighieri.  His mother died in Dante’s infancy, and his father passed away when the poet had barely reached fifteen.  It was not a wealthy family by any measure; although Dante’s Florentine lineage was distinguished, his family was unable to convert pedigree to lucre.

  • Alexander And Porus Speak On Fortune And Glory

    Alexander the Great’s incursions into the Indian subcontinent brought him into conflict with local rulers unwilling to submit to Macedonian rule.  One of these rulers is known to history by the name Porus.  The sources are vague and contradictory, but he apparently controlled the Punjabi region bordered by the Jhelum and Chenab rivers. 

  • The Bad Acts Of Others Do Not Excuse Our Own

    The adventures of the Armenian king Papa, who lived from A.D. 353 to about 375, are described by the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (XXX.1).  Gibbon gives the king’s name as Para; other sources variously spell his name as Pap or Papa.  We nod at all these spelling variations, and suggest the reader choose the one…

  • The Most Odious Of All Treacheries

    There is an instructive historical anecdote that appears in the writings of both Frontinus (Stratagems IV.4) and Valerius Maximus (VI.5).  It describes an incident that took place in 394 B.C. during the consulship of Camillus. 

  • The Irrepressible Adaptation Of The Mind

    Several days ago I read one of Edgar Allan Poe’s lesser-known stories, “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether.”  It was first published in 1845.  Readers may not be familiar with the story; but as it seems to offer a useful commentary on contemporary affairs, I wanted to share my thoughts about it. 

  • On Why A Slovenly Appearance Is A Form Of Muted Hostility

    The Roman writer Aulus Gellius, in his Attic Nights (XIII.22), records the following anecdote.  Gellius was once conversing with his teacher, one Titus Castricius, whom he describes in glowing terms as “a man of the greatest prestige and dignity.” 

  • The Terrible Loss Of The “Rothsay Castle”

    Today only historians of the sea have heard of the horrific loss of the steam packet Rothsay Castle in 1831.  Yet in its day, the tragedy aroused considerable public indignation and mourning in England; and it remains one of the most unsettling of the nineteenth century’s long list of maritime calamities.  We will retell the…

  • Convenience Leads To Dependence, And Then To Ruin

    It often happens that, in the affairs of states and princes, conveniences lead to dependency, and from dependency to ruin.  What may first appear to be advantageous, may in time prove to be only the first link of a chain forged for the purpose of bondage.  History abounds with examples of this slide into servitude,…

  • Two Immortal Speeches Delivered By The Emperor Julian

    The Roman emperor Julian, wary of the encroaching borders of the Persians, undertook a military campaign against the Persian Empire in March of A.D. 363.  Despite some initial successes, the operation resulted in a defeat for Roman arms and Julian’s own death in battle.  Yet the field of conflict yielded more than just a litany…

  • The Inviolability Of The Artist’s Work (Podcast)

    The world recently learned that the estate of British author Roald Dahl actually allowed a team of censors to purge words and phrases from the author’s works that they deemed “offensive.” This is a terrifying escalation in the left’s war on the literary record and on artistic expression in general. The idea that censors would…

  • Lose Your Subsistence, Surrender Your Liberties

    Deprivations of property or liberty may proceed by guile or force, or by an admixture of the two.  The trickery of a malicious sovereign must be matched, and exceeded, by the vigilance of his subjects; and no sentinel on the battlements of liberty can afford to relax his guard.  Assurances of benign intentions carry no…

  • The Artificial Man, And The Man Of Substance

    Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Man That Was Used Up” was first published in 1839.  The plot line of the story is as follows.

  • The Fittest Sharers Of Your Joys

    Wise sayings can soothe life’s hardships by reminding us that past travelers on the road have met with similar trials.  Adages are distillations of lived wisdom, condensed for mental retention and seasoned, in many cases, with pathos and humor. We will first consider a saying by Ibrahim Ibn Al Abbas Al Suli, a poet who…

  • A Conversation With Will Spencer (Podcast)

    I recently had a great conversation with Will Spencer, the proprietor of the site Renaissance of Men. I’m posting the podcast links here. I think you’ll find it to be a very informative and entertaining discussion. It’s available in different formats: Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

  • Fortune May Stumble In Her Gait, But Arrives At Her Destination

    Al Fadl Ibn Al Rabi (الفضل بن الربيع), who lived from around A.D. 757 to 823, was a powerful minister of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad.  He served the caliphs Harun Al Rashid and Al Amin, the sixth Abbasid ruler.  It was during his tenure in office that the caliphate descended into civil war. 

  • The Mutilation Of Responsibility

    The historian Ammianus Marcellinus, writing around A.D. 385, contrasts the indolence and effeminacy of the Romans with the vigor and truculence of the Gauls.  He tells us (XV.11) that the average Gaul is tall, insolent, proud, and “enthusiastic about fighting” (avidi iurgiorum).  His wife is even stronger than he is, and capable of landing punches…

  • “How Do I Expand My Social Circle In A Foreign Country?” (Podcast)

    A reader who is living abroad in France is finding it difficult to meet new people. He has no desire to hang around with expats. People always revert to English when dealing with him, when he is trying to learn French. It is frustrating for him, and he wants to know if there are ways…

  • The Bull Of Chrysame, And The Gold Of Pythopolis

    The reckless pursuit of advantage and material gain inevitably leads the unwise to ruin.  It is a truth antique with age, yet fleeting in historical memory.  Two compelling tales buried in the forgotten pages of the historian Polyaenus (VIII.42—43) remind us of the lesson’s permanence.  We now resurrect them for our amusement and edification. 

  • You’ve Got The Job: Now Get In There And Do It (Podcast)

    A reader asks a question. He has just been assigned to a new position of great responsibility. The previous occupant of this position was a man much older than he. Our friend feels slightly intimidated and inadequate for the new job. To complicate things, the previous holder of the position has not helped our friend,…

  • A Conversation With Thorin (Podcast)

    I recently had a great talk with the esports historian Thorin on his podcast “Thorinquiry.” The discussion ranged over a wide variety of subjects. His Twitter account can be found here. I’m posting the YouTube link to the podcast below.

  • The Terrors Of The God Pan

    Those who have held leadership positions know that there are times when a group can become gripped by a sudden wave of panic or consternation.  It can happen without warning; there may even be no readily discernible reason for this collective psychological seizure.  Unless a leader takes stern and decisive measures without delay, such a…

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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.