Sylvia Rose
Roman Empire: Situation 300 AD
In 300 AD, the Roman Empire is falling apart. Under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, who wants to restore the grandeur of Rome, the empire...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 285 min read
Asphodel: Ancient Dye & Medicine Plants
Among the showy flowering plants, perennial Asphodelus is an elegant and adaptable beauty. A genus of the Asphodelaceae or aloe family,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 277 min read
Renaissance Wars: Venice vs. Ottoman
The Ottoman-Venetian Wars are seven major conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice from the late 14th to the 18th...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 274 min read
Venice Italy: Jewel of the Renaissance
Venice during the Renaissance emerges as a vibrant center of art, culture and commerce, influencing the broader European scope. The...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 273 min read
Alchemy & Renaissance Glass: Antonio Neri
Antonio Neri is a Renaissance Florentine priest, well known for contributions to alchemy and glassmaking. As a youth Neri is drawn to the...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 263 min read
Tricky Alchemy: Caput Mortuum Purple
Caput mortuum, Latin for as "dead head" is an ominous name for a valued color. As an iron oxide it's easy to make at home. As a purple...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 265 min read
Ancient Roman Baths & Bathing
Bathing is an important part of ancient Roman culture. Structures such as the Baths of Diocletian or Thermae Diocletiani in Rome are a...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 264 min read
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...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 252 min read
Haruspices in History: The Gut Readers
In ancient Rome, the haruspex has a significant role in society as a trained specialist in the the practice of haruspicy. This form of...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 246 min read
Herbal Remedies in Medieval Alchemy
Herbal remedies are ubiquitous in medieval alchemy, a practice combining elements of science, spirituality, and mysticism. Recipes are...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 245 min read
4 Infused Wines of Ancient Medicine
Myrtle, Rose, Scammory and Flowers of Brass are four infused wines used medicinally in the ancient world. Infused wine in medicine often...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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