While reading the book series "The Mortal Instruments", I stumbled upon the word "Nephilim", which in the books means the race of the Shadow Hunters - a mix of humans with the blood of an Angel. You can than imagine my surprise when I saw this word while I read about fallen Angels for yesterday's post!
     According to traditional religious belief, Nephilim can be considered the offspring of the "Sons of God" (the Angels) and the "Daughters of Men" (human women) before the Deluge according to Genesis 6:4. The name is also used in reference to giants who inhabited Canaan at the time of the Israelite conquest of Canaan according to Numbers 13:33. A similar biblical Hebrew word with different vowel-sounds is used in Ezekiel 32:27 to refer to dead Philistine warriors.
     This became a very complicated subject, and it can be analyzed through many angles: for example, the New American Bible draws a parallel to the Epistle of Jude and the statements set forth in Genesis, suggesting that the Epistle refers implicitly to the paternity of nephilim as heavenly beings who came to earth and had sexual intercourse with women. The footnotes of the Jerusalem Bible suggest that the Biblical author intended the nephilim to be an "anecdote of a superhuman race". Some Christian commentators have argued against this view, citing Jesus's statement that angels do not marry. Others believe that Jesus was only referring to angels in heaven.
     What about you? What do you think the Nephilim are? As for me, I think I'll continue with the Shadow Hunters view, at least until I gather more information about this subject!

~Ally

     Last week I went to the cinema to watch what I thought was going to be one of the best movies of 2014: Noah. At the end, I was very disappointed. Aronofsky turned the original story - which spoke about redemption and the purification of a fallen world - into a tale of a man who becomes addicted to the task of saving the innocent, that is, the animals, and simply refuses to save mankind, whether they're worthy or not. Sensationalist scenes of animal and human slaughter were also a big part of the movie, and they made me feel sick and unworthy of God's mercy. If that's what the director was going for - making everyone feel horrible just because we're human -, than, by all means, mission accomplished!
     But what bothered me the most was the story of the fallen angels, who are called "the Watchers" in the movie. While they added a sensitive and sensible tone to the story and "showed a probable way of how the Ark was built", their whole story is wrong!
     You see, being a Catholic, I was taught that the first fallen angel was none other than Lucifer. But, since I haven't read the Holy Bible yet, I decided to learn a little more about this and other fallen angels.
     The texts tell us that Lucifer was the left, creative, hand of God, created in a perfect state (Ezekiel 28:12,15). And he remained perfect in his ways until iniquity was found in him (verse 15b), when they say “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.” Lucifer apparently became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire for himself the honor and glory that belonged to God alone. The sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. Apparently, this represents the actual beginning of sin in the universe—preceding the fall of the human Adam by an indeterminate time. Sin originated in the free will of Lucifer in which—with full understanding of the issues involved—he chose to rebel against the Creator. Than, this mighty angelic being was rightfully judged by God: “I threw you to the earth” (Ezekiel 28:18).
     In the movie, though, the fallen angels supposedly chose to fall, because they took pity on Adam and Eve and, because of that, God punished them turning their beautiful and perfect light forms into stone. [SPOILER ALERT] In the end, when the flood is beginning and humans are desperate to get in the Ark, the Watchers kill them and, because of it, they're forgiven by the Creator and allowed to return to the Heavens. That's a complete mess, if you ask me. But that's just my opinion. Did you watch Noah? If so, what did you think about it? Tell me in the comments!

~Ally

     Berserkers (or berserks) are described as Norse warriors who are primarily reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources. What I didn't know about them was that most historians believe that these warriors may have worked themselves into a rage before battle through the consumption of drugged foods.
    The Úlfhéðnar (singular Úlfheðinn), another term associated with berserkers, mentioned in the Vatnsdœla saga, Haraldskvæði and the Völsunga saga, were said to wear the pelt of a wolf when they entered battle. Úlfhéðnar are sometimes described as Odin's special warriors:

     "[Odin’s] men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them. This is called 'going berserk."

     In addition, a helm-plate press from Torslunda depicts a scene of Odin with a berserker—"a wolf skinned warrior with the dancer in the bird-horned helm, which is generally interpreted as showing a scene indicative of a relationship between berserkgang... and the god Odin" — with a wolf pelt and a spear as distinguishing features.
     To "go berserk" can be also considered to “hamask”, which can be translated as “change form," in this case, as with the sense "enter a state of wild fury" and one who could transform as a berserker was typically thought of as “hamrammr” or “shapestrong”.
     Berserkers appear prominently in a multitude of other sagas and poems, many of which describe them as ravenous men who loot, plunder, and kill indiscriminately. Later, by Christian interpreters, the berserk was even viewed as a "heathen devil."
     The earliest surviving reference to the term "berserker" is in Haraldskvæði, a skaldic poem composed by Thórbiörn Hornklofi in the late 9th century in honour of King Harald Fairhair, as ulfheðnar ("men clad in wolf skins"). This translation from the Haraldskvæði saga describes Harald's berserkers:

"I'll ask of the berserks, you tasters of blood,

Those intrepid heroes, how are they treated,
Those who wade out into battle?
Wolf-skinned they are called. In battle
They bear bloody shields.
Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight.
They form a closed group.
The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men
Who hack through enemy shields."

      Emphasis has been placed on the frenzied nature of the berserkers, hence the modern sense of the word 'berserk.' However,  sources describe several other characteristics that have been ignored or neglected by modern commentators, such as Snorri's assertion that 'neither fire nor iron told upon them' and the sources frequently state that neither edged weapons nor fire affected the berserks, although they were not immune to clubs or other blunt instruments.      Similarly, Hrolf Kraki's champions refuse to retreat 'from fire or iron.' Another frequent motif refers to berserkers blunting their enemy's blades with spells, or a glance from their evil eyes. This appears as early as Beowulf where it is a characteristic attributed to Grendel. Both the fire eating and the immunity to edged weapons are reminiscent of tricks popularly ascribed to fakirs.
     In 1015, Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson of Norway outlawed berserkers. Grágás, the medieval Icelandic law code, sentenced berserker warriors to outlawry. By the 12th century, organised berserker war-bands had disappeared.
     Nowadays, the word "berserker" applies to anyone who fights with reckless abandon and disregard to even his own life, a concept used during the Vietnam War and in Vietnam-inspired literature and film. "Going berserk" in this context refers to a state induced by adrenaline (or military-issued amphetamine for long missions) in the human body and brain leading a soldier to fight with fearless rage and indifference, a state strikingly similar to that of the 9th century berserkers. "Going berserk" is also used colloquially to describe a person who is acting in a wild rage or in an uncontrolled and irrational manner. Furthermore,  "berserker" is also a well known character archetype and status in video games and other media.

~Ally

     According to historians, one of the precursors of April Fools' Day include the Roman festival of Hilaria (no pun intended - or is it?), which was held every March 25.
     The day of its celebration was the first after the vernal equinox, or the first day of the year which was longer than the night. The winter with its gloom had died, and the first day of a better season was spent in rejoicings. The manner of its celebration during the time of the republic is unknown, except that Valerius Maximus mentions games in honour of the mother of the gods.
      Respecting its celebration at the time of the empire, we learn from Herodian that, among other things, there was a solemn procession, in which the statue of the goddess was carried, and before this statue were carried the most costly specimens of template and works of art belonging either to wealthy Romans or to the emperors themselves.
     All kinds of games and amusements were allowed on this day; masquerades were the most prominent among them, and everyone might, in their disguises, imitate whomsoever he liked, even magistrates!

~Ally

      Imagine you're woken up in the middle of the night by a frightening sound. You haven't been sleeping for days, since the ground of the camp isn't a very comfortable bed. Rain and strong winds are also common in these camps and the lack of food is always present. But the worse is the thought of the upcoming dawn: the batlle day approaches, and you don't want to die, but have to fulfill your Christian duty to fight against you enemies. Many of your friends will perish in this day, and you'll probably see many other people die horribly. But you must stay. And try not to get killed.
     That's what medieval knights faced everyday in the great (and small) battles and wars we hear and read about nowadays. In movies, medieval knights are usually portrayed as courageous and loyal heroes who will fight to the death without fear or regret. But, according to a new research by Thomas Heeboll-Holm, a medieval historian at the University of Copenhagen, this wasn't the case. In reality, he claims, the lives of knights were filled with a litany of stresses much like those that modern soldiers deal with. Which could indlude Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other related illnesses. People who are diagnosed with the disorder, often suffer from uncontrollable and intense stress for at least a month after a horrifying event. Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, depression and hyperactivity.
     When soldiers go to war in modern times, Heeboll-Holm said, psychologists now recognize that the stresses they encounter can lower their psychological resistance until they finally succumb to anxiety disorders. Since medieval knights faced as many and possibly more hardships than modern soldiers do, he wondered if he might be able to find references to signs of trauma in warriors who fought during the Middle Ages.
     To get an idea of how things worked in that time, we can look at this excerpt by the 14th-century French knight named Geoffroi de Charny:

"In this profession one has to endure heat, hunger and hard work, to sleep little and often to keep watch. And to be exhausted and to sleep uncomfortably on the ground only to be abruptly awakened. And you will be powerless to change the situation. You will often be afraid when you see your enemies coming towards you with lowered lances to run you through and with drawn swords to cut you down. Bolts and arrows come at you and you do not know how best to protect yourself. You see people killing each other, fleeing, dying and being taken prisoner and you see the bodies of your dead friends lying before you. But your horse is not dead, and by its vigorous speed you can escape in dishonour. But if you stay, you will win eternal honour. Is he not a great martyr, who puts himself to such work?"

      Charny showed no signs of instability, Heeboll-Holm said, but he repeatedly expressed concern about the mental health of other knights. And there is no doubt that medieval knights suffered a lot, according to other historians. Tales from that era include all sorts of gruesome details. Many tell of warriors vomiting blood or holding their entrails in with their hands. One mentions a Castilian knight who gets a crossbolt stuck up his nose in his first fight. Another tells of a fighter getting slashed by a sword through his mouth. Again and again, there are references to bad food, uncomfortable conditions and relentless fighting.
    After so many centuries, though, it can be challenging to interpret old texts. Part of the problem is that knights never psychoanalyzed themselves, at least not in print. Instead, they either offered advice to other knights about how to act in various situations or they simply recounted events. One of the biggest differences between now and then, researchers add, is that medieval knights were usually born into their elite and noble order, and they were trained from a young age to think of themselves as warriors who fought in the name of Christianity. Modern soldiers, on the other hand, often leave a very comfortable life for one of violence and trauma.

~Ally

     I remember hearing about Boudica and her rebellion some years ago but, apart from knowing she led her people in battles against the Romans, I didn't know very much about her. So I dug a little and the result is the following.
    Boudicca was queen of the Iceni people of Eastern England and married to Prasutagus, ruler of the Iceni people of East Anglia. When the Romans conquered southern England in AD 43, they allowed Prasutagus to continue to rule. However, when Prasutagus died the Romans decided to rule the Iceni directly and confiscated the property of the leading tribesmen. They are also said to have stripped and flogged Boudicca and raped her daughters. These actions exacerbated widespread resentment at Roman rule and, in 60 or 61 AD, while the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paullinus was leading a campaign in North Wales, the Iceni rebelled. Members of other tribes joined them.
     Boudicca's warriors successfully defeated the Roman Ninth Legion and destroyed the capital of Roman Britain, then at Colchester. They went on to destroy London and Verulamium (St Albans). Thousands were killed. Finally, Boudicca was defeated by a Roman army led by Paulinus. Many Britons were killed and Boudicca is thought to have poisoned herself to avoid capture. The site of the battle, and of Boudicca's death, are unknown.

~Ally

     I'm not sure why I thought they didn't in the first place, but whatever. They did. Under those famous Roman togas, both men and women wore a loincloth called a subligaculum, made from wool or linen, although silken undergarments were prized by the wealthy. Women also sometimes wore a kind of strapless proto-brassiere called a mamillare or strophium. It was common for younger women especially to bound their breasts tightly, sometimes with soft leather.

~Ally

     Remember that factory fire I mentioned yesterday many people confuse with the actual reasons we celebrate Woman's Day? I researched a little bit more and found out that it happened in March 25, 1911, in New York. More than a hundred seamstresses died in the fire or jumping out of the building in this big industrial desaster, which contributed to the especification of more rigorous criteria on the workplace safety conditions and to the growth of labor unions.
     Triangle Company occupied the last three floors of the Asch building, which had 10 floors in total, on the corner of the Greene Street and Washington Place, and employed about 600 workers, most of them young immigrant women who worked 14 hours a day, in work weeks of 60-72 hours, sewing clothing for modest wages between 6 and 10 dolars a week.
     The factory conditions were typical of that time: inflamable textiles were stored in the whole factory, smoking was frequent, lighting was by gas and there were no fire extinguishers. During the fatal afternoon of March 25, a fire broke out. The employees of the tenth and eighth floors were notified and most of them saved themselves, but the alert for the ninth floor took too long to arrive. It had only two exits: one of the stairs was filled with fumes and flames when the workers realized the building was on fire. The other door was closed in order to prevent the workers to steal materials or take brakes. The only exterior emergency exit was soon ruined by the weight of the seamstresses who tried to escape.
     The firemen arrived fast, although there were no available stairs beyond the sixth floor. Only one survivor was found, almost drowned, near the elevator's ascension conduct.

~Ally

     A period of History that is not profoundly taught - at least in the schools I went here in Brazil - is the Dark Ages. Unless you're a History nerd like me, you'll probably heard little or none of it (history hipster mode on?). So here's a little documentary to remember and learn a little more about them!

~Ally

      Care for more weapons' documentaries? "Yes, please, do bring them on!"

~Ally