They offer salvation, enlightenment, or moral guidance to all people, regardless of tribal, ethnic, or regional boundaries. This sets them apart from ethnic religions tied to specific groups of "chosen peo
The idea of being set apart or better than others is something that typically appeals to humans, sort of like a "cool kids club" that everybody wants to join.
The Huns reached their peak under Attila
I know the Disney character Shun-Yu from Mulan was based off of Atilla, I wonder if Atilla would have been around the same time as Mulan was set in or not.
removal of women from leadership roles that most historians agree they had occupied in the early years of the faith.
This is something I did not know about, I had assumed that Christianity typically had male in leadership positions.
arliest surviving manuscript of the Gospel of Mark. Late 2nd or early 3rd century.
It amazes me that writing this old has survived. The ink survived very well in some places, with some legible words.
ascended the throne at age fourteen and ruled for 54 years
in ancient times, it seems like many rulers ascended to the throne at very young ages. my younger brother is 15 (almost 16) and i could never imagine him ever ruling an entire nation.
Led by Judas Maccabeus, the rebels used guerrilla tactics in Judea’s hills. They won several victories, retaking Jerusalem in 164 BCE and rededicating the Temple, an event celebrated as Hanukkah.
I had heard this story before but forgot about it. I find it inspiring that the people of that time were able to put so much at stake for their faith.
the Greek translation was a cultural bridge that broadened the faith’s reach while subtly reshaping it.
I did not know that the Greeks translated the Torah or Old Testament. I suppose it had to have been translated at some point, and I find it very impressive that it happened so long ago.
The Ramayana’s influence is vast: it inspired Diwali, Ramlila plays, and art from Cambodia’s Angkor Wat to Indian miniatures.
I would like to properly read or hear this story, it had a huge impact on many cultures.
Alexander valued the cultures he had conquered and promoted the mixing of his subjects by holding mass weddings in Susa in 324 BCE, at which his officers married women from prominent families.
This is very unique to most conquerers. Most people that invaded other nations despised the people they conquered and were very open about it.
Plato's most famous student, Aristotle
I had heard of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, but I did not know that they were all related. Aristotle being the student of Plato, who was the student of Socrates is really cool, and also narrowed the time frame I had for their lives. I thought that they all lived many years apart, when in reality they actually were pretty much around at the same time.
he made contributions in music, the sphericity of Earth, and the identity of the morning and evening stars as planets
I have learned about Pythagoras many times in various math classes for his contributions there, but I did not know that he did these other things too. I wish that we could have learned about these facts as well, especially the music.
harmony to hierarchy
Harmony over hierarchy is still very commonly believed today, maybe even more so in recent times with the current state of the world.
YHVH (the Hebrew name for their god, which they don't pronounce but which Americans call Yahweh)
I did not know that the Hebrew god's name is not pronounced by them. Most other religions speak the name for their god, so this was just interesting to me.
he genes have also been discovered in Yamnaya burials dating back about 4,500 years
To be able to distinguish genes from that far back is mind-blowing, I knew about carbon dating but being able to see the genes is crazy.
the domestication of wild sheep and goats probably began in the Zagros Mountains in present-day western Iran, Iraq, and Turkey between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago
I find it interesting that wolves were domesticated before sheep and goats, I would have pictured the wolves to be more wild.
before the age of patriarchal civilizations, there was an earlier culture that was at least more equal, if not entirely women-led
I think that a matriarchal culture would be very interesting to learn about, I don't remember ever learning about one previously. I also wonder- why the switch to patriarchal societies? It might have been because of men having more physical strength, along with a shift to more hunting.
land of milk and honey
The "land of milk and honey" is mentioned several times in the Bible, I just found that sort of interesting.
Pastoralists (herders) who had more access to meat and milk, did not share this decline in size or health.
I think that it's really interesting that people are able to tell these sort of things from looking at skeletons that are centuries old. I also find it unique that they believe it was mostly women working in the wheat fields.