Greek and Roman
The Prettiest Barbarian
“They bestowed the kingdom of the Visigoths on Athavulf his kinsman, a man of imposing beauty and great spirit; for though not tall of stature, he was distinguished for beauty of face and form.” […]
Jordanes
Greek and Roman
The Power of a Song
“They bore harps and were clad in snowy robes, and chanted in suppliant strains to the gods of their fathers that they might be propitious and repel the Macedonians.” […]
Eastern Europe
The Sword of the God of War
“He rejoiced at this gift and, being ambitious, thought he had been appointed ruler of the whole world, and that through the sword of Mars supremacy in all wars was assured to him.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Downtrodden Show Their Might
“These valiant men gained the chance they had longed for–to be free to die in battle rather than to perish of hunger–and immediately took arms to kill the generals Lupicinus and Maximus.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Blood… ye Gods the Blood
“It was not flooded by showers, as brooks usually rise, but was swollen by a strange stream and turned into a torrent by the increase of blood.” […]
Eastern Europe
The Face of a Victor — an Ugly Victor
“Their hardihood is evident in their wild appearance, and they are beings who are cruel to their children on the very day they are born.” […]
Eastern Europe
Translation: The Huns are Trash
“There the unclean spirits, who beheld them as they wandered through the wilderness, bestowed their embraces upon them and begat this savage race, which dwelt at first in the swamps — a stunted, foul and puny tribe, scarcely human, and having no language save one which bore but slight resemblance to human speech.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Strongest Emperor of Them All
“Thereupon Maximinus threw sixteen attendants with so great ease that he conquered them one by one without taking any rest by pausing between the bouts.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Origin of the Amazons
“They appointed a day for meeting once in every year, so that when they should return to the same place on that day in the following year each mother might give over to the father whatever male child she had borne, but should herself keep and train for warfare whatever children of the female sex were born.” […]