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History and Curiosities the World Over

History and Curiosities the World Over

  • The Americas
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  • Did That Really Happen?
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Tag: romans

Lupercalia most likely derives from lupus, "wolf", though both the etymology and its significance are obscure (bronze wolf's head, 1st century AD)
Europe Origin Stories

Lupercalia: The Pagan Prequel to St. Valentine’s Day?

February 14, 2023 GVC 0

One neat and tidy idea is that instead of banning Lupercalia — which Romans celebrated for a remarkably long time — Christians adopted and renamed it. This stems from a strongly-worded letter by Pope Gelasius circa 494 B.C.E., where he criticized fellow Christians for participating in something that used to showcase naked people whipping each other.

Worth one's salt
Europe Origin Stories

Worth One’s Salt: An Origin Story

June 11, 2020 GVC 0

Salt was treasured in myriad ancient cultures. It was precious to the Egyptians, Greeks, Tamils, Chinese, and many others. People used it to preserve food, nourish their bodies, cure ailments, carry out superstitious rites, and of course, make meals taste more delicious.

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