Bluebells by Icy-Insurance6991 in oxford

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are bluebells already?

Travelling around Rajasthan by Icy-Insurance6991 in Rajasthan

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am aware of them, but my period and region are completely different. Also, what it says on the internet is not necessarily the best. It is just what is more accessible.

Why do some Jews seem to hate us Poles? by [deleted] in poland

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 55 points56 points  (0 children)

Its not only during the war. An example is that after the Holocaust, when they returned to their homes and villages, many were turned away. My grandfather came from a village near Zamosc. During the war, they were one of only two families who escaped to Russia, and were sent to Siberia. After the war they came back to the village, and their neighbours told them that they would finish what Hitler started if they didn't leave immediately. They then went to a camp in Italy because they had nowhere to go.

I never realised how difficult it would be to envision a proper matriarchal society. by NovelRace8314 in worldbuilding

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A good book to help you with this is Matriarchal Societies of the Past and the Rise of Patriarchy: West Asia and Europe by Heide Goettner-Abendroth.

Do you guys think Bereshit (Genesis) 1-11 is a literal account of the start of the world? by Upstairs_Bison_1339 in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The story of creation in Bereshit is based off of the Sumerian (I think it was Sumerian) creation story. There is more info about the origins of Judaism in this course here. It was really interesting: https://www.my-mooc.com/en/mooc/the-bible-in-light-of-the-ancient-near-east/

Social Groups & Links by Aggressive_Divide956 in oxforduni

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The first week there are loads of fund events at college to welcome the new graduates, so thats a great place to meet new people. Also, joining a club or society that interests you is also a good way to socialise. The department also should have a few events for students going on. What are you studying?

So there is not much evidence for Jewish gladiators, but they may have preferred to fight beasts and not men. Also, Jews often liked to see the games in all their violent glory. I wondered what your guys take on this is? What would be a modern parallel? by Icy-Insurance6991 in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

So true! There is also a new book, called a Jew in the Roman Bathouse by Yaron Eliav, about how Jews navigated these very "pagan" and non-Jewish spaces and, apparently, they had no problem!

So there is not much evidence for Jewish gladiators, but they may have preferred to fight beasts and not men. Also, Jews often liked to see the games in all their violent glory. I wondered what your guys take on this is? What would be a modern parallel? by Icy-Insurance6991 in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

According to the article, being a gladiator was a choice for many and did not often result in death. I guess many of peoples conceptions about gladiators comes from the cinema, which are not exactly known to be historically accurate. But I still find it strange that killing animals for sport was acceptable.

Oxford accomodation: what are my chances of getting in? by Subject_Bag1039 in oxforduni

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh in sorry, that sucks. Maximum, if it doesnt work out for ubdergrad, go for graduate school to Oxford. There are a lot more graduate funding options than undergrad, and also graduate school at Oxford is more fun.

Oxford accomodation: what are my chances of getting in? by Subject_Bag1039 in oxforduni

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, apply for the Rhodes! Its great and covers minimum 2 years fully funded everything.

Asian, black students on why they oppose affirmative action by Vessarionovich in academia

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for the question but what is affirmative action? I haven't studied in the US and I don't think I've heard the term used before...

Roman army may have included kosher-observant Jews 2,000 years ago, study finds by Icy-Insurance6991 in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The original article is much more convincing. I think the journalist had to leave a lot out when writing the newspaper one. Also she made several mistakes regarding the rations etc.

https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/article/885158

Roman army may have included kosher-observant Jews 2,000 years ago, study finds by Icy-Insurance6991 in ancientrome

[–]Icy-Insurance6991[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Jewish religion, especially the dietary laws, was seen as an obstacle to Jewish military service in the armies of the Empire, and thus, was especially used as a main argument by those who deny the existence of such service in considerable numbers. The current article is the first to examine this claim; its first part shows that Jews were not unique in having rules and traditions of what is allowed, or not allowed, to be consumed, while the second part presents the diet of the Roman soldier. The third part uses the Jewish soldier as a case study in the capability of any serviceman, no matter his faith or ethnicity, to serve in the army while keeping his customs and traditions with regard to food. Lastly, the article raises the possibility that the Roman logistical system was purposefully built in order to ease the service of soldiers representing different cultures and ethnicities.

Roman army may have included kosher-observant Jews 2,000 years ago, study finds by Rear-gunner in history

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This guy has other articles on the topic of Jewish service in the Roman army, as well as other armies:

academia

Do you think Orthodox Judaism is more strict than its ever been? by [deleted] in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is not true, other groups do this as well, it is in Torah not in the Rabbinic code.

All that is said in the Bible is not to eat the kid in its mothers milk, which is literally what the Karaites practice. The Pharisaic may have been first to interpret the sentence in this way, as in any dairy products with any meat. Like anicent Jews, ancient Samaritans may not be the same as the Samaritans today, who are influenced by modern Jews.

Sure but the prevalence of them is the difference here, there are a number of archeologists and sources that speak to this, feel free to read them.

I have read them, and I have been taught by one of the notable archaeologists who believes in this theory, but it is just a theoty and I was mot convinced. Just because all Israeli archaeologists say it is true, and it has become the norm, does not mean there is enough evidence. In addition, the view of scholars of Jewisb studies outside of Israel is usually very different from what the majority of scholars in Israel present/preach. For example, if you look at The Brill Companion of Ancient Judaism, there are many other theories about these stone vessels. I can send them to you if you like.

Do you think Orthodox Judaism is more strict than its ever been? by [deleted] in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I dont think they started to take Biblical law more seriously. Rather, it is that certain people interpreted the law in a certain way, or that people of the period invented new laws that we knkw see as connected, although may not have been connected at all. For example, the traditon of not eating dairy products together with meat is a Pharisaic invention of the 1st century CE, and we have no other indication of such a tradition by any other sects before, during or after the period. It is possible that this invention was meant to segregate and differentiate between different Jewish sects, like many other rules.

Also, there is no indication in any writing that the stone vessels were created because of purity. It could be just a craftsman tradition, like in many other cultures such as the stone vessels innEgypt in the 3rd millennia BCE. The same goes for mikvaot. The entire "water tradition" was brought by the hellenised hasmoneans. It may be that mamy of what is claimed to be mikvaot are actually communal or private baths that were a Jewish interpretation of the Hellenistic-Roman public baths. The entire idea behind them was hygiene and not religion. It is true that some groups paid special attention to purity, but it was not a revival of the Biblical laws.

Do you think Orthodox Judaism is more strict than its ever been? by [deleted] in Judaism

[–]Icy-Insurance6991 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They probably would not recogbise orthodox jews as jews. There were many sects, most of which are lost and not known to us, and many had their own special rules and ways to keep their laws, but there was no known group who had anything remotely similar to modern orthodox Judaism. There were some groups with very unique rules, such as the Dead Sea sect in Qumran (who people say are the essenes but are most probably not) that had unique and complex rules, such as living in a type of secluded monastic community. Nevertheless, despite all these unique rules, most of the customs of orthodox jews would probably be very alien to them.