On This Day – 17 December
The Ancient Romans celebrated the beginning of the Saturnalia with a festival in honour of Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing.
On This Day – 16 December 1944
The Germans launched their last major offensive of World War II, known to most as the Battle of the Bulge the Germans originally called it Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (operation watch on the Rhine). This battle which lasted until the 25th of January 1944 became the bloodiest battle of World War II for the Americans, The Department of the Army recording US losses at more than 108,000.
Originally published by the Egypt Exploration Society the 6 volumes that make up the Amarna Reports were published between 1984 and 1995.
Archaeologists believe that they have found the original shrine of the Viking king turned Saint, Olaf Haraldsson. This unlikely Saint spent his early years as a Viking raider before being baptized into the Roman Catholic church in 1013.
Continue reading “Viking Raider Saint’s Lost Shrine Rediscovered”
The British Library has digitised and made over 900 Greek manuscripts available online. They are available for viewing as high resolution colour images.
Continue reading “Greek manuscripts from the British Library online”
Research and excavations by researchers from Gothenburg University are uncovering a previously unknown Greek city. The site has been discovered 5 hours north of Athens near the village of Vlochós.
On This Day – 8 December 1941
One day after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese military the American President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the US to declare war on Japan.
On This Day – 7 December 43BC
Cicero was one of the greatest orators of Rome, and lived through some of the most turbulent events at the end of the Republic. He was born on the 3rd of January in 103 BC in Arpinum, to a well-off equestrian family.
Continue reading “43 BC – Marcus Tullius Cicero is assassinated”
On This Day – 23 November 1963
The first episode of what would become the Doctor Who franchise aired in Britain. The first series consisted of four episodes aired over a period of four weeks and introduced William Hartnell as the first Doctor.
Continue reading “1963 – Doctor Who first appeared on Television”
On This Day – 22 November 1968
The Beatles, also known as the White Album, is the ninth studio album by English rock group the Beatles, released on this day in 1968. A double album, its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band’s name embossed, and was intended as a direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band’s earlier Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Continue reading “1968 – The Beatles release ‘The Beatles’ (known as The White Album)”
On This Day – 14 November 1941
The HMS Ark Royal was sunk
Commissioned in November 1938, the HMS Ark Royal was sunk less than three years later on 14 November 1941 by the German U-81. The HMS Ark Royal was an innovative Royal Navy aircraft carrier serving during WWII, the first on which the flight deck and hangers were an integral part of the hull.
On This Day – 11 November 1918
After four years of warfare the German forces called for an Armistice. At 11 am on the 11th of November (the 11th month) 1918, hostilities ceased on the Western front.
On This Day – 10 November 1202
The siege of Zara began. This was the first major action of the fourth crusade and the first attack against a Catholic city by Catholic crusaders. The attack was forbidden by Pope Innocent III who threatened the crusaders with excommunication.
On This Day – 1 November 1512
Pope Julius II celebrated All Saints Day mass in the Sistine chapel by allowing the public to see the ceiling painted by Michelangelo for the first time.
Continue reading “1512 – Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling opened to the public”
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