This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.This fascinating audiobook takes listeners on an extraordinary journey through history's most surprising and little-known facts, revealing the peculiar, amusing, and sometimes shocking truths about how people lived in ancient and medieval times. From the Romans' elaborate dinner parties and professional food tasters to Victorian women's deadly beauty routines using nightshade, each revelation demonstrates how different yet familiar our ancestors were. Discover how medieval monks believed thunder was God rearranging furniture, how ancient Egyptian workers received hangover leave, and why Victorian era baby bottles were grimly nicknamed "murder bottles." Learn about the ingenious inventions that shaped civilization, from the Chinese compass originally used for feng shui to the first safety pins designed to prevent injury. Explore bizarre social customs like Roman gladiator sweat being sold as perfume, medieval people avoiding baths in May for superstitious reasons, and ancient Greek philosophy students paying tuition with olive oil. The audiobook reveals surprising gender roles and social structures, including how ancient Egyptian women could divorce and own businesses while Victorian women couldn't legally refuse their husbands. Military history comes alive with facts about medieval knights training with dance lessons and quintains, wearing seven layers under armor, and following strict chivalric codes. Religious practices are illuminated through stories of monks spending eight hours daily in prayer, copying one book per year, and believing gemstones possessed magical healing powers.
This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.This fascinating audiobook takes listeners on an extraordinary journey through history's most surprising and little-known facts, revealing the peculiar, amusing, and sometimes shocking truths about how people lived in ancient and medieval times. From the Romans' elaborate dinner parties and professional food tasters to Victorian women's deadly beauty routines using nightshade, each revelation demonstrates how different yet familiar our ancestors were. Discover how medieval monks believed thunder was God rearranging furniture, how ancient Egyptian workers received hangover leave, and why Victorian era baby bottles were grimly nicknamed "murder bottles." Learn about the ingenious inventions that shaped civilization, from the Chinese compass originally used for feng shui to the first safety pins designed to prevent injury. Explore bizarre social customs like Roman gladiator sweat being sold as perfume, medieval people avoiding baths in May for superstitious reasons, and ancient Greek philosophy students paying tuition with olive oil. The audiobook reveals surprising gender roles and social structures, including how ancient Egyptian women could divorce and own businesses while Victorian women couldn't legally refuse their husbands. Military history comes alive with facts about medieval knights training with dance lessons and quintains, wearing seven layers under armor, and following strict chivalric codes. Religious practices are illuminated through stories of monks spending eight hours daily in prayer, copying one book per year, and believing gemstones possessed magical healing powers.
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