Re-gifting holiday gifts in the Middle Ages

And one more thing -www.medievalists.net


This issue discusses some of what we think of as a modern headache - gift giving, receiving and re-gifting - great issue!

Medieval images - what a hoot!

www.medievalists.net 


I personally like the porcupine who looked like it ran through a grape arbor but the many-armed woman was quite eye-catching too ...


Check it out!

Almonds, dolce, Sicily, il mandorlo, Troy and legend of Phyllis and Acamas

Anyone who's been to the Mediterranean, and especially Sicily, knows the importance of almonds.  They were important in the Middle Ages, when almond paste was a main ingredient in dolce especially those called pasta reale and when almond milk was practically a staple in the kitchen.  Then, as now, almond milk didn't need to be refrigerated and in a hot climate, that was important.


My wonderful Sicilian friends, Bruno and Lucia, sent me a book for Christmas called Sweet Sicily by Alessandre Damone.  As you might imagine, it's all about desserts.  Yummmmmmy.  And not just recipes - given in Italian AND English - but also the history of it.  As an historian, what could be better?


So here's the history of the almond - the Thracian princess Phyllis fell in love with Acamas, a son of Theseus.  Men being men, Acamas just had to go to Troy and fight.  When Phyllis didn't see her love return, she died of a broken heart.  But he did return, finding his love dead.  Athena, that goddess who loves these kinds of situations, took pity on Phyllis.  You'd think she'd bring her back to life, but she didn't, instead she turned her into an almond tree and every year when Acamas embraced her, she blossomed, giving us the delicious nut we all know and love.


Personally, I think she could have done more, but who's complaining?  And so I would advise you, if you're going to Sicily and indulging in dolce, or perusing this book, check out the biscotti di mandorla which I can tell you from experience - tastes like heaven.

Plague remedies, medieval medicine, Marco Polo

The Medievalverse, Issue 108 - check out this internet link as it has two fabulous (actually more but two of them caught my eye) articles -


One has to do with plague remedies and has a great black and white picture of Florence.  Interesting plague remedy, but I guess if I was desperate ...


We also talk about medieval medicine in Book #3 of The Vespers Trilogy and the other talks about the taste of medieval food - which DEFINITELY was not bland.


Also - check out Marco Polo - the new Netflix miniseries.   We watched the whole series and it was terrific.  I'll have to dig out my Travels of Marco Polo and see how accurate some of it (my Mongol history is a little fuzzy) but I thought it was well done and certainly kept my interest.

Grand Hotel Budapest and other great movies

I just got done watching Grand Hotel Budapest - what a treat!  My friend Marcia recommended it and the cast is just stellar.  It made me think of movies in favorite locations - I watched it mainly because I'm going to Budapest in 2015 but anything Marcia recommends I'm game for.  So what are my favorite movies regarding Italy and/or Sicily?  I'd have to say Cinema Paradiso and Il Postino are my top two favorites, with Mediterraneo running a close third.  Love all of them.  So who out there has movies shot in your favorite locations?


I know my friends, Barb and Mike, in Palm Desert, loved Midnight in Paris because they are such Francophiles.  Not to mention well-read.


Anyone else?

Map of the World 1154

Muhammad al-Idrisi (1099–1165 or 1166) was born in the north African town of Ceuta but spent much of his early life traveling around the known world, going as far as York in England, Hungary and Anatolia. He settled on the island of Sicily and began working for the Norman King Roger II. In 1154 he created for him the Tabula Rogeriana, which offers a description of the world and over 70 maps of various places. The centre-piece of this book is his world map, which depicts Europe, Asia and the northern part of Africa (the southern part of the world is at the top of the map). Al-Idrisi states that it shows “the seven climatic regions, with their respective countries and districts, coasts and lands, gulfs and seas, watercourses and river mouths.” What a fascinating document! I would love to see it in real life. I think this further demonstrates the close relationship between Sicily and northern Africa, between the Christians and the Muslims of this period.

Christian mercenaries hired by Muslim rulers in 13th century, Christian church in northern Africa

Check out the article by Michael Lower in the Speculum issue of July 2014. Lower discusses the family tradition of some Muslim rulers in hiring Christian mercenaries to fight their battles in the 13th century. this is in northern Africa. There is even a North African Christian church established and the papacy continued to send mendicant friars to preach there through the 13th century. It's hard to say what kind of status these mercenaries held in Islamic lands. Perhaps as an elite fighting force for the ruler like the Varangian Guards in Constantinople? Don't know, but Lower discusses these men fighting in Morocco, Fez, the Maghrib and Marrakesh.

Ok--one more post about the indigenous people of Sicily, way before the Arabs and pasta arrived. The Sicels (Sikels) gave their name to Sicily and probably arrived from the Italian mainland about 1200 BCE. They settled primarily the eastern end of the island from Messina south beyond Mt. Etna. They had peaceful contact with the Sicanians to the west, and the Sicels eventually integrated them into their own society. About 800 BCE when the Greeks arrived, the Sicels had a well established, highly developed society. It took several centuries for the Sicels to amalgamate with their Greek neighbors. Their language, called Siculan, shared features of othe Italic tongues (especially the Iatoli of nearby Calabria) and at least some characteristics of what eventually became Latin. One of the Sicels' last great leaders, Ducetius, tried to join their various federations to liberate themselves from Greek influence about 446 BCE, but the Greek Syracusans eventually triumphed. After founding the city of Cale Acte on the northern coast (now the province of Messina), Ducetius died about 440 BCE.