AskHistorians is a carefully curated online community of more than 1.3 million history enthusiasts. Here, members of the public can ask direct questions of historical experts. These experts are acknowledged with “flairs”, small banners that identify their area of expertise. Some contributors to Ancient World Magazine are flaired users on AskHistorians.
Wandering the wine-dark sea
Greek migration and dialects
The ancient Greeks were, like all people, highly mobile, and they founded a large number of settlements beyond the Aegean basin. What are some of the characteristics of Greek migration, and did these settlers bring their dialects and customs with them?
How does one interpret figurative art?
A look behind the curtain
On Reddit’s AskHistorians, someone asked how one goes about interpreting the evidence from figurative art, such as vase-paintings. We figured it would be good to share our response here, too.
Why abandon the phalanx?
Problems from Rome
Did the hilly terrain of Italy force the Romans to abandon the hoplite phalanx? Did they even use the phalanx to begin with? In this article, we suggest “no” to both of those questions.
The Spartans at war
Myth vs reality
Were the Spartans really so great in war? What are the roots of their image as invincible super-soldiers? A deep dive into their history and institutions shows that there is some truth, but also a great deal of distortion.