Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog

Strange History has noted before the belief in daemons, individual spirit guides, a Mediterranean tradition that matures into the guardian angel with the assistance of Christianity. The most striking example is certainly that of Socrates who had regular conversations with his daemon. Then there is Joan of Arc and St Michael (or whoever)… Beach today […]

Equestrian loyalty in the first estate: love the black and red hooves!

A recent post looked at the tensions created by ambassadors declaring war in WW2. Today, instead, some descriptions of declarations of war from World War 1. The initial impression is that there was more formality and more old world charm. Some of the ambassadors may have believed they would be back in their host capitals by […]

1940 Coney Island Drowning. What’s most interesting the respiration equipment or the girl’s incredibly inappropriate Bay Watch smile?

***thanks to Tacitus from Detritus for sending this one in*** Symmachus and the far more famous Boethius were Roman nobles after the end of the Roman empire, an uncomfortable time to be ‘senators’. Boethius fell into disgrace with the emperor Theoderic: he essentially got into trouble for defending, in the law courts, an enemy of Theoderic. […]

Last four couples at the chicago dance marathon c. 1930

Beach has long consoled himself with the thought that he is in the Bubble: the three generations that have lived since the Second World War in the western nations, surfing the greatest economic wave in history, buoyed along by petroleum, micro-chips, and the internet and paradoxically protected from violence by the threat of thermo-nuclear war. […]

Dear Reader, spring in the air here now in Italy. Just ordered some giant yellow daisies and rats have appeared in the garden: March the hungriest month… Six more weeks of classes then a summer of writing. Getting an itch under my typing fingers already. Thanks, as always, to the multiple linkers: Amanda, Chris, Chris […]