What do you know about the Hippodrome of Constantinople? If you’re like most people, the only ancient sports stadium you’ve heard of is the Colosseum in Rome. I don’t blame you. It’s huge, it’s famous, tourists love it, and it hosted gladiator combats. Unless you’re still angry at the Romans for their barbaric willingness to […]
Tag: Venice
Smallpox and the Columbian Exchange
In my last post about the Columbian Exchange, I mentioned in passing what happened to the Incas and Aztecs when they met with Europeans after 1492. Today, it is time to flesh out that story and how it relates to the Columbian Exchange by describing the importance of smallpox. You might have heard a version […]
Byzantine Chariot Racing – Sports Without Gladiators
Perhaps it is unusual to follow up my first post on the Byzantine Empire with a post on Byzantine chariot racing. However, sports are an area in which this medieval empire appears quite modern. Plus, they’re fun, and in the Byzantine world they were a big deal. But a major difference existed between the sports […]