Greeks in Ancient India? The Heliodorus Pillar November 7, 2014
Author: Beach Combing | in : Ancient
The Heliodorus Pillar is one of those wrong place Euroasian antiques, which should make any self-respecting bizarrist choke up. It is a simple, still standing sandstone Hindu column, at Vidisha near Bhopal in India, known locally as the Khambh Baba. The column was placed there in about 110 BC so it is a good two thousand […]
Do You Recognise Iskandar? November 2, 2014
Author: Beach Combing | in : Ancient, Medieval
There is always a pleasure in seeing what an almighty mess humans can make of ‘historical’ traditions. Take the following story about someone who is known by every reader of this blog, but who has arrived here, some fifteen hundred years after his death, in a guise that is not (ahem) particularly reminiscent of the historical […]
Speaking to Tens of Thousands Before Battle: Is it Possible? October 27, 2014
Author: Beach Combing | in : Ancient, Medieval
Beach worried to day about speeches before battle in ancient and medieval times. If you have read any Roman or Greek historian then you know the drill. General stands up before his army, makes a few choice reflections on why his men are fighting, and then the army goes out, inspired, and trashes or is […]
