Terry Madenholm

2 weeks ago | haaretz.com | Terry Madenholm

From the earliest of days, everywhere we look, avoiding pregnancy has been mainly the woman's responsibility. In the land of the pharaohs, the ancient Egyptian women fought their fertility with a thick paste made from honey, sodium carbonate, and crocodile dung. This concoction was expected to be placed inside the female reproductive system before intercourse. From today's perspective, we have to think the solution might have been very effective if the lover knew what he was getting into.

Dec 30, 2024 | haaretz.com | Terry Madenholm

The Romans developed one of the most socially integrated slave systems of its time, enslaving tens of millions in three continents and lasting for 500 yearsDec 30, 2024 2:43 pm ISTSend in e-mailSend in e-mail Statue of ancient Roman soldier with prisoners on bridge over the TiberCredit: Spiroview Inc/ShutterstockDec 30, 2024 2:43 pm ISTAccording to Aristotle, some people are born to be slaves.

Oct 20, 2024 | haaretz.com | Terry Madenholm

"Mistresses we keep for the sake of pleasure, concubines for the daily care of our persons, but wives to bear us legitimate children and to be faithful guardians of our households" – Demosthenes, some time in the 4th century B.C.E.There are ten kinds of women, according to the Greek poet Semonides of Amorgos, who predated the statesman and orator Demosthenes by several hundred years, and compared many of the female types to livestock.

Oct 20, 2024 | flipboard.com | Terry Madenholm

Culture5 hours agoWhat happened to Julius Caesar's assassins? historyskills.com • 5hOn the Ides of March, 44 BCE, Rome’s most powerful man fell under the blades of his closest allies.

Jan 8, 2024 | haaretz.com | Terry Madenholm

The first deliberate castration of males will forever remain unknown. Modern historians suggest that the practice began in animal husbandry, where the practice was used to reduce unwanted breeding while producing calmer and fatter cattle and pigs. As for men, plausibly it was first introduced as a form of punishment, and ancient sources had no illusions about who initiated it first- only a woman could come up with something as twisted.