Tag Archives: History

The Limes in the Germanic Provinces and Rhaetia during the Imperial Period – Gateway to a New World or Border Wall of Civilization?

1 Introduction The Limes in the Germanic provinces and in Rhaetia was long regarded in older research as a “bulwark against the barbarians” (Bakker 1997, p.111), as a border wall of the Imperium Romanum and thus as the border of the civilized world of antiquity against the Germanic “Barbaricum”. In recent decades, however, this viewContinue reading “The Limes in the Germanic Provinces and Rhaetia during the Imperial Period – Gateway to a New World or Border Wall of Civilization?”

The Origins of the Ancient Greeks

An attempt at answering – in brief – the question of the origin of the Ancient Greeks from an archaeological, mythological and genetic approach.

German Prisoners Of War in Britain 1939-1948

The Second World War was the most devastating conflict in human history. All sides suffered horrendous casualties, but not all of those belonged to the dead or the wounded. Many, in fact, the vast majority, were taken captive and had to be taken care of, which put a massive administrative burden on the belligerent nations. This article seeks to examine the fate of German POWs in British hands during and beyond the War.

The Cause of the High German Consonant Shift

The High German Consonant Shift gave rise to the High and Upper German dialects of the West Germanic Dialect Continuum. It’s cause is still debated, however, although a Gallo-Roman substrate seems to be the most likely explanation.

Proto-Indo-European Religion

The myths and legends of the Proto-Indo-Europeans have influenced the world like no other be it through the great Greek Classics, the Icelandic Sagas or the Indian Vedas. But what exactly did they themselves believe in and how did they practice their faith?

History through Poems: Examining Beowulf

Originally posted on Kristyn J. Miller:
Epic poems have incredible staying power both as literary achievements and as historical resources. The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is one of the foremost examples of this. Despite its mythological themes, the story offers historians a rare insight into Anglo-Saxon ideals of masculinity, heroism, and society. At the same time,…

Ragnarok and Reincarnation in Norse Mythology

Ragnarok describes the end of the world in Norse Mythology. Or does it really? Not only the world itself is reborn after its destruction, but one of the gods as well. Could this be an indication for reincarnation in Germanic myth or perhaps even evidence for a pan-Indo-European phenomenon of rebirth?

The Indo-European Language Family

The Indo-European language family is the most widely spoken language family in the world today, partially due to Colonialism. But even before the European expansion Indo-European languages were spoken throughout Eurasia.

Origins and Culture of the Ancient Germanic Tribes

The origin of the ancient Germans (not to be confused with the modern Germans) is still debated, although somewhere between Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia seems to be the most likely place. Bu where did the people inhabiting this area come from?

Do Ancestry DNA Tests Work?

Many people are understandably intrigued by the relatively new service of personal ancestry tests to determine their own origins. But how reliable are they really?

The Origin and Expansion of the Celtic Peoples

The Celts belong to the most mysterious of Europe’s inhabitants. Today, Celtic speakers are confined to the far northwest of the continent, in the past, however, much of Continental Europe spoke Celtic. Where did they come from and how did they manage to cover such a vast area?