In the world of pirates , where lawlessness is often the image that comes to mind, a surprising system of governance existed beneath the black flag . Pirates may have lacked a singular written code,...
The meticulous art of handcrafting legal wigs for British courts weaves a tapestry of tradition that reaches back through the annals of time, tracing its origins to the late 17th century . Entrusted...
One of the most fascinating and accomplished civilizations in history was the fruitful region of Mesopotamia. Frequently called the “Cradle of Civilization,” Mesopotamia was home to some of the...
When studying ancient societies, it isn’t uncommon to experience some culture shock. Even after researching a society for years, you’ll come across something that will stop you straight in your...
Oliver Cromwell was an English commander and politician who helped overthrow the Stuart monarchy during the era of the English Civil War and then served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of...
One surprising quirk about life in medieval times is that people could, and did, take animals and insects to court and try them as if they were humans. While there is scant verifiable evidence on the...
A lot of things viewed as unusual by the people from the present day used to take place in ancient Egypt. While some of these aspects are fascinating, others can be simply regarded as odd. Going...
An ancient Finnish law promising harsher sentences for Christmas criminals was read out to an empty town square. Christmas is nearly upon us, and if you haven’t already outright cancelled family...
There were many complex laws and customs prevalent in the Celtic-speaking world of ancient times. In Ireland and the British Isles in general, these customs survived for many centuries, some as late...
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest surviving law code. This text was written on clay tablets in the Sumerian language and is reckoned to have been produced towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC...
Throughout their history, the Vikings were known as ferocious fighters, seafarers, raiders, and traders. The popular image depicts them as somewhat rambunctious and lawless - but that is far from the...
During the creation of the mighty Roman Empire, between 753 BC and 1453 AD, the Romans not only created the political institutions of Roman governance, but they also set up a series of legal...
In the 21st century, most people would consider their intimate and sexual relationships to be a private matter. In the Middle Ages however, the division between private and public areas in the lives...
Last year, the United States signed into law 5,500 pages of legislation, most of which dealt with economic stimulus. But it dealt with something else too – UFOs! The revelations have explosive...
A private landowner has damaged a 1,500-year-old stone eel arrangement near Lake Bolac, Australia . The Kuyang stone monument was shaped into an eel and created before the Europeans arrived in...
English law is riddled with ancient entries and charters pertaining to past worlds; and from time to time they emerge and catch out the unsuspecting. For example, it's punishable to gamble in a...
A Kansas man has requested a ‘ trial by combat ’ with his wife and her lawyer to settle an ongoing dispute. To settle ongoing and clearly painful legal disputes, David Ostrom, 40, of Paola, Kansas...
Marguerite Johnson / The Conversation The ancient worlds of Greece and Rome have perhaps never been as popular as they presently are. There are numerous television series and one-off documentaries...
In medieval societies , it was always quite important to preserve law and order, and to rightfully dispense justice. A just ruler secured himself an obedient populace, and often enough, justice was...
A dowry is an ancient custom that requires the transfer of parental property to a daughter at her marriage , rather than at her father’s death. It is a tradition in which emotion does not play a role...
It is no surprise that the medieval period was filled with all kinds of undesirable jobs. There were leech collectors, cesspool cleaners, serfs, and gong farmers, to name a few. But one vocation that...
In ancient Rome, the patricians (from the Latin word patres , meaning ‘fathers’) were one of the main classes of Roman society. They were the ruling class, and enjoyed great prestige as well as...
One of the more unusual aspects of the Medieval world was that animals could be put on trial like human beings. Yes, there was such a thing as legal animal trials! While the veracity of many Medieval...
For as long as societies have had to deal with crime, they’ve had to deal out punishment. In some, places, and situations the process was only meant to humiliate the guilty, but most of the following...
