Roman Roads Press Blog

Month: October 2014

Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he origins of Halloween are often confusing, but there is evidence of some clear influences. Traditionally, Halloween is thought to have arisen from three sources: The pagan celtic holiday Samhain The Roman festivals of Pomona and Feralia Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day. Let’s look at each of these festivals. Celtic Samhain [dropcap]S[/dropcap]amhain was something of a combination of a harvest festival and a day of the dead for the Celts of Britain and northern France. As counterpart to the May festival, Bealtaine, which ushered in the summer months, Samhain announced the coming of winter, and thus a kind of death … Continue Reading “Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween”

7 Ways Henry V was a Christian King

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

The Mirror of all Christian Kings Was Henry V a “Christian King?” William Shakespeare, in his play Henry V, seems to say “yes!”. There is a famous line in the play which calls Henry “the mirror of all Christian kings.” What does Shakespeare tell us about his ideals of kingship through Henry V? Let’s look at some examples: He is valiant. We began to see this in Henry IV Part One, when Henry is wounded, he keeps fighting. In Henry V, he courageously leads his men, both at Harfleur and Agincourt. He sends away the French herald who has come to … Continue Reading “7 Ways Henry V was a Christian King”

Can I use your DVDs in another country?

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

We have received several questions about whether our video courses will work in other countries. The short answer is: YES! For many of us in the USA, this question seems absurd, since DVDs are digital. For various reasons, mostly surrounding distribution of major motion pictures, MOST movies distributed on DVD and Blu Ray are region coded. DVDs in the US are from region 1, DVDs from Europe are region 2, etc. See the map below to see how the 6 regions are divided. The DVDs released by Roman Roads Media, including the Old Western Culture series, Grammar of Poetry, Introductory … Continue Reading “Can I use your DVDs in another country?”

Fashion in Ancient Rome

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

In many aspects, ancient Rome was a modern state. They had city planning, sewage, hot baths, heated floors, elaborate customs, traditions, and a rich culture. After the fall of Rome, there was a brief “dark ages” in which much of the technology and culture of Rome disappeared. That period is not as long as some would have you think (a subject discussed in the Old Western Culture curriculum), but there was a decline. But when we think back to Rome’s height, we normally think of its technology, conquests, or even its debauchery as it declined. But what about ancient Rome’s … Continue Reading “Fashion in Ancient Rome”