Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless
Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless by Donavon L Riley The land of Ireland, still ancient and wild in a few places, holds tales that stretch back to the dawn of civilization.…
Debauchery Is Nothing to Be Proud of
Debauchery Is Nothing to Be Proud of by Donavon L Riley In Tinto Brass’ nineteen seventy-nine film, Caligula, the viewer witnesses the tale a man’s descent into lunacy, painted against…
Quintus Fabius: Rome’s Champion of Attrition Warfare
Statue of Fabius Cunctator (Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus), Schönbrunn gardens, Vienna. Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, also known as Cunctator, meaning “the Delayer,” was a pivotal figure in Roman history and…
Remembering D-Day: The 80th Anniversary
A LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) from the U.S. Coast Guard-manned USS Samuel Chase disembarks troops of Company A, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto…
Hidden History: The OSS’s Secret Base on Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island satellite image. In the annals of World War II history, the role of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) stands out as a testament to the power…
The Maquis: French Resistance in World War II
Members of the Maquis in La Trésorerie (a hamlet part of Wimille, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, France). 14 September 1944. Donald I. Grant, Department of National Defence. Library and Archives of Canada.…
Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher King
Bust of Marcus Aurelius. Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from AD 161 to 180, is often referred to as the “philosopher king”. His reign was marked by wisdom, virtue, and…
Socrates: The Soldier-Philosopher
“Alcibiades Receiving Instruction from Socrates”, a 1776 painting by François-André Vincent, depicting Socrates’s daimon. Socrates, born around 470 BC in Athens, Greece, is often regarded as the founder of Western…
Bushido: The Way of the Samurai
Samurai in Armour, hand-colored albumen silver print by Kusakabe Kimbei. 1860s. J. Paul Getty Museum (object no. 84.XA.700.4.58), digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program. Bushido, the code…
The Path of the Warrior: Insights from The Book of Five Rings
The famous duel between the sword master Miyamoto Musashi (left) and Sasaki Kojiro (Ganryu) at Ganryu-jima island. Yoshifusa Utagawa (active ca. 1840-1860). It is difficult to understand the universe if…