The Ancient Mystery Religion Cults of Rome - Part Two (Exclusive)

 

The similarities between early Christianity and the cult of Mithras are astounding. December birthdays, religious meals of bread and drink, a deity of light and even the Emperor Constantine. 

Find out which religion Sunday is actually dedicated to, here, in our article.

Strange, But Successful, War Strategies—Japan’s WWII Bicycle Infantry

The Japanese literally pedaled their way to victory in the Battle of Singapore. Learn how the Japanese used the simple bicycle to create a sprawling empire at the outset of WWII.

Read our article about Japan's bicycle strategy, here, in our article (or click the above picture).

The Ancient Mystery Religion Cults of Rome

The cults of Mithra, Isis and Cybele are more familiar and complex than we may think. Read about what the ancient cults believed in and how the adherents of the cults acted. Also, learn about how the early Christian Church used some of the organization and tactics of the Roman cults to survive two harrowing centuries before being accepted by Emperor Constantine.

Read our article about these Mystery Religions here (or click the above picture).

Fire, Fairies and Folklore—The Murder of Bridget Cleary

A witch? A fairy? Who was the murdered wife of Michael Cleary?

Read more about the strange and bizarre murder of the Bridget Cleary, a woman killed after being accused of being a fairy changeling, in our article here.

A Commoner Who Killed An Emperor, Became An Emperor and Was Killed By An Emperor

The Incredible Story of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas (Ruled 602-610CE): a 7th century 'rags to riches' story. Likely growing up somewhere around modern Bulgaria, Phocas grew of age and joined the section of the Byzantine army stationed in the Balkans. He eventually found himself under the command of General Philippikos. Phocas, though a commoner, arose to the lower-ranking officer position of centurion, which made him responsible for anywhere from 80 to 100 other soldiers. From a simple beginning, he went on to take command of an army and win an empire.

Read more here at thehistorianshut.com

Strange, But Successful War Strategies—Divide Yourself And Conquer The Byzantine Battle of Arcadiopolis

In the Byzantine Battle of Arcadiopolis the Byzantine commander, Bardas Skleros, repelled 30,000 invaders with only 12,000 men of his own. More baffling, is the fact that the Byzantines were the first to charge into battle.

Read more here at thehistorianshut.com

WWI’s Incredible Battle of Messines

This shocking Allied plan made the German defenses just disappear. A combined assault of explosives, artillery and  infantry made the Battle of Messines a truly eruptive event.

Warning: The WWI pictures in the article may be disturbing to some viewers.

Read more here at thehistorianshut.com

The Golden Rule Is Older than You Think!

 

Most people know that one of the central tenets of Jesus Christ’s way of life was the Golden Rule. As Christianity is a religion all about forgiveness, love and living a virtuous life, the Golden Rule is a perfect mantra for the faithful to remember in order to assure that they are acting like true Christians. Jesus prescribed that his disciples use the Golden Rule as a call for action; actively do for other what they would gladly receive for themselves.

Around 600 years before Christ, however, the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, developed his own Golden Rule. The Confucian Golden Rule was more about restraint. He argued that people should not do to others what they would not want done to themselves. Both rules suggest that we should think of others before we act, but Christ and Confucius approached it from opposite angles. Read more here at The Historian's Hut website.

 

Nearly Forgotten Kingdoms: Ancient Pontus and the ‘Poison King’

 

A country formed from the remnants of Alexander the Great’s Empire and a King who could resist poison and match up against the best Roman generals—this is the story of Pontus. 

Read our article here at thehistorianshut.com (or click on the picture above).

10 Underhanded Ways The Spanish Franco Regime Aided Hitler And The Axis Powers in WWII

 

Many people forget a major country involved in World War Two—Spain. Though Spain was not a member of the Axis military alliance, it was politically and ideologically aligned with the Axis Powers.

Francisco Franco was the fascist dictator of Spain just before, during and after WWII. Germany and Italy helped Franco overthrow the government of Spain’s Second Republic during the Spanish Civil War. France, the USSR and many United States and British citizens supported the Republic. The Spanish Civil War ended mere months before the beginning of WWII.

During WWII, Franco kept close ties to his fellow fascist dictators, Hitler and Mussolini. He traded war supplies, weapons and ammunition to the Axis. He also allowed monitoring stations and saboteurs from the Axis to enter Spain to thwart the Allied Powers. Publicly, Franco applauded the Axis and denounced the Allies in speeches and letters. His boldest aid to the Axis, however, was the Blue Division—an army of Spanish volunteer (and later conscripted) soldiers that were sent to the Eastern Front to fight the Soviet Union.

All of this was done under Spain’s formal claim of neutrality. Franco’s aid to the Axis only diminished once the Allied Powers were clearly gaining the upper hand.  WWII ended with the Axis Powers defeated, Hitler and Mussolini dead, and Francisco Franco left as the last remaining major fascist dictator in Europe.

Read more here at War History Online.