Ancient Rome
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When it comes to what defines and shapes our relationships—what forms the fabric of the social world and its systems—ideas matter. If we want to understand why one culture embraces better philosophical ideas, or produces greater artistic achievements, or falls into greater dysfunction than another, we must examine the origins of its ideas. This is…
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Within the first few pages of SPQR by Mary Beard, one reads about scientific studies of human excrement found in a cesspit in Herculaneum, Southern Italy (playfully, I have to say that first reading this made me think of the Latin phrase, scientia non olet). Beard then comments that, at least in this region, ancient…