Sylvia Rose
Olympiodorus of Thebes & His Parrot
Olympiodorus of Thebes (c. 380 - 425 AD) is a multifaceted figure. A Roman historian from Egypt, poet, philosopher, and diplomat, he...
top of page
Sylvia Rose
Aug 255 min read
Great Persecution Rome vs. Christianity
The Diocletianic or Great Persecution, a significant event in the history of the Roman Empire, marks a period of intense hostility toward...
11 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 255 min read
Religious Persecutions of Diocletian
Following the Peace of Nisibis, Emperor Diocletian and Galeriu s Maximianus r eturn to the bustling city of Antioch, today's southern...
16 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 253 min read
Alexandria & the Siege of Diocletian
Ancient Alexandria, jewel of Egypt, is renowned as a city of philosophy, medicine and alchemy. A crucial turning point happens 297 AD....
10 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 246 min read
Alchemy: Dyeing Stones to Look Like Gems
Although alchemy is often associated with gold-making, another essential skill of the alchemist is to color or dye stones like quartz...
16 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 235 min read
Knights Templar Crusades & Medieval France
The Knights Templar, or the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, are a religious military order formed in 1099 during the...
19 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 234 min read
Religious Wars Catholics & Protestants France
The 16th and 17th centuries mark a tumultuous period in European history, defined by a series of religious wars with cataclysmic effects...
19 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 234 min read
Bernard Trevisan: Legends of Alchemy
Bernard Trevisan is a prototypical figure in alchemy, constructed by various alchemical writers of the medieval and Renaissance eras in...
19 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 235 min read
Medieval Alchemy: Jean de Roquetaillade
Jean de Roquetaillade (1310 - 1370 AD) or John of Rupescissa is a prominent figure in medieval France. A fiery Franciscan friar,...
11 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 228 min read
Medieval France: Peasants, Knights & Urbanites
Medieval France sees many changes in the turmoil of war, plague, mad royals and the birth of the Inquisition. A precisely defined social...
14 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 225 min read
Christine de Pizan: Medieval Writings
Christine de Pizan or Pisan (Cristina da Pizzano) c.1364 - 1430 is an Italian-born French court writer during the reign of King Charles...
21 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 214 min read
Urine in Medieval Alchemy & Medicine
In the medieval world, urine is a surprisingly versatile body fluid with a wide range of applications beyond the obvious disposal...
14 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 216 min read
Phosphorus, Uroscopy & Power of Pee
Urine has medical and practical applications though history. Renaissance alchemist Hennig Brand discovers phosphorus by boiling his...
19 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 214 min read
Tellurium: Bright Gold & Dark Matter
Tellurium is the Latin word for earth. A brittle, non-malleable silvery white metalloid, tellurium (Te) is a rare element having both...
6 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 196 min read
Elixir Vitae: Giambattista della Porta
In the European alchemical tradition, the elixir vitae or elixir of life is associated with the philosopher's stone. Legend has it...
31 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 195 min read
Guelphs & Ghibellines: Blood of the Renaissance
The Guelphs and Ghibellines are feuding factions during the Italian Renaissance. Warfare and bloodshed between the two throw regions of...
10 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 185 min read
George Ripley: Alchemist of Augustine
George Ripley (c. 1415 -1490) is an English Augustinian Canon, author and alchemist. One of England's most famous alchemy practitioners,...
34 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 184 min read
Guido Bonatti: Medieval Astrology Star
Guido Bonatti (d. 1296 - 1300) is a renowned Italian mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer. Highly respected for his astrological...
18 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 173 min read
Sweet Wormwood: Malaria Miracle Cure
Artemisia annua or sweet wormwood appears in traditional Chinese medicine texts of Ge Hong ( 283 - 364 AD) as an early remedy to treat...
12 views
Sylvia Rose
Aug 165 min read
Lapis Lazuli: Creating Ultramarine
Lapis lazuli or "blue stone" is prized for its depth and brilliance in paint as the color ultramarine. Before the 1800s, ultramarine...
17 views
bottom of page