January 2023

For the ancient Greeks the beard was a cornerstone of masculinity. To be in possession of a full beard marked you out as a fully adult male and in the societies of the Classical period (and earlier) this was not to be taken lightly. Presuming that you were a citizen male the growing of facial […]

With the recent festivities in mind the angst over gift giving could be thought of as a modern concept. However, gifts were given in antiquity and if you’ve listened to my recent podcast on the Saturnalia you will have heard of the lengths which some went to. Martial, a 1st century CE poet wrote about […]