Military Adventurism Brings Disaster To The Reckless

Quintus Curtius History, Thought , , ,

In the year 1260, Tuscany was engulfed in war.  The cities of Florence and Siena were engaged in mutual hostilities.  About twenty-five miles from Siena was located the small town of Montalcino, which happened to be a friend and ally of Florence.  The Sienese hoped that by staging an attack on Montalcino they might be able to compel the Florentines to send an expedition for its relief–an expedition that, they hoped, they could lure into a trap.  To this end, the Sienese government publicly announced their intention to move against Montalcino, and watched to see what the Florentine response would be.

Continue reading →

The Porfirio Insight: Knowing Where You Came From, And Where You’re Going

Quintus Curtius Podcast , , ,

This is the third podcast I’ve done on Michael Porfirio, aka The G Manifesto.  They’ve proven to be extremely popular.  In this latest episode, we talk about the “Porfirio Insight”: the ability to step outside yourself, take stock in your life, and see where you are headed.  It’s all about the journey, and whether the trip has been a memorable one. We’ve all only got one life to live…so you’d better make it count.

Continue reading →

The Fall Of Singapore: The Price Of Inept Leadership

Quintus Curtius History , ,

It is a pleasant thing to recall our victories.  Far less pleasant is to be reminded of our defeats.  And yet there is something sublime in the recounting of a disaster; provided, of course, one does not have to be on the spot at the time of its unfolding.  Catastrophes provide more fertile material for instruction than do successes; and the conscientious historian should make a strenuous effort to discover why they unfolded as they did.

Continue reading →

Be Scrupulous About What You Write: The Lesson Of Rhazes

Quintus Curtius Biography , , ,

Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyyā al-Rāzī (known in the West by his Latinized name Rhazes) is considered one of the most original and accomplished of the medieval Muslim physicians.  An impressive list of achievements is linked to his name: he pioneered the study of pediatrics, ophthalmology, synthesized laboratory acids, composed treatises on smallpox and measles, wrote voluminously in a number of scientific fields, and had extensive practical experience with treating patients.

Continue reading →

A Few Travel Tips I Learned Last Week (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast , , , ,

You can always learn something new on the road.  Here are a few travel lessons I learned last week that might be useful for your own trips.

Continue reading →

Coming In December 2018: A New Annotated And Illustrated Translation Of Cicero’s “On Moral Ends”

Quintus Curtius Current News , ,

In December, Fortress of the Mind Publications will be releasing my new annotated and illustrated translation of Cicero’s work On Moral Ends (De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum).  This announcement will provide some details about the book and what it contains.

Continue reading →

Case Studies In Conflict: Richard Overy’s “War: A History In 100 Battles”

Quintus Curtius History, Literature , ,

We hear a lot of talk about “new generations” of warfare.  Everything is supposed to be new, different, and immutably changed from previous eras of conflict.  Some people have even taken to numbering what they see as historical phases of warfare.  First generation, second generation, third generation, etc.  While there is some merit to this classification system, I think its disadvantages outweigh its advantages.  Such neat categorizations tempt us into believing that things are somehow different now than they have been in the past.

Continue reading →

The Ghosts Of Cumae

Quintus Curtius Uncategorized , ,

The ancient town of Cumae was the oldest Greek colony in the west.  It was founded in the last quarter of the 8th century B.C.  From the town’s acropolis one can see the island of Procida and its smaller islet of Vivara; farther away is the island of Ischia.  Mycenaean artifacts have been found on these islands, proving the presence of Greek colonists in the area in the 8th century.  We are told that Ischia was called Pithekoussai in Greek, which means “island of the monkeys.”

Continue reading →

Driving On The Amalfi Coast

Quintus Curtius Uncategorized , , ,

This was one of the best drives of my life.  If you ever have the chance to see the Amalfi Coast, see it.  This is not some ride through the same sea-side villages you’ve seen in other places:  it is something very different.  It’s a community that is literally built into the cliffs and rocks that overlook the sea, and this gives it a feel of something like a human bat colony, or an ancient hive.  Photos can never really do it justice, but I hope they can give the reader an idea of what to expect.

Continue reading →