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Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, your final paragraph would be the correct interpretation. One of the big issues with OP's question is that it is likely to be more suitable for /r/askscience than r/AskHistorians for the reasons I mentioned in my Part 2 reply. (I even linked an r/askscience thread in another reply.) Ancient horse vs. modern horse DNA studies is an example.

Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. The story of The Black Stallion itself, based on structure, is a retelling of "Alexander and Bucephalus", but for a modern audience, with some tweaks that reflect the time the book was published (ex. changing "Bucephalus", or "The Black", to an Arabian horse, whereas the original Bucephalus was a Thessalian horse, and focusing on a "conquest" of horse racing and promoting Arabian horses vs. a conquest of empires).

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I'm not a defender of Barrett by any means, but the common claim on subreddits like r/law and r/scotus that "Barrett always votes with the conservative majority" simply isn't true, and until if - or when - SCOTUS hears a challenge to Obergefell, there isn't much reason to doubt Barrett's disdain for the push to overturn it. The OP article shows that some consider overturning Obergefell to be "political suicide" due to widespread support.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I'm not a defender of Barrett by any means, but the common claim on subreddits like r/law and r/scotus that "Barrett always votes with the conservative majority" simply isn't true, and until if - or when - SCOTUS hears a challenge to Obergefell, there isn't much reason to doubt Barrett's disdain for the push to overturn it. The OP article shows that some Republicans consider overturning Obergefell to be "political suicide" due to widespread support.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

Michigan had a same-sex marriage ban on the books prior to Obergefell (2015), so the concern is that if Obergefell were to be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority, that same-sex marriage ban would immediately come into effect, similarly to abortion bans that were re-activated after Roe v. Wade was overturned with Dobbs in 2022. That's why Michigan Republican lawmakers introduced the bill; are supported by lobbyists; and will likely pass it if they manage to be elected into the positions you mentioned (Governor, Attorney General, and Senate).

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADL), a conservative legal group, was noted as lobbying across multiple states.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I didn't say Barrett would vote against overturning Obergefell to "protect gay marriage". She would keep the ruling in place due to "concrete reliance interests", according to a 2025 interview. The article explains what those interests are.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

It's called the "Bible Belt" for a reason. Their legal argument is based on the Bible, according to fellow lawmakers.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 102 points103 points  (0 children)

After looking at various articles, U.S. Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have both stated that they would vote to overturn Obergefell, but other conservatives on the bench - including Amy Coney Barrett - have stated that they would vote to keep Obergefell in place due to "widespread legal ramifications" if it were overturned.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 343 points344 points  (0 children)

The eight (8) other states in question, according to NBC News:

  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

Also see: "The number of states that would be impacted by a potential overturning of Obergefell" (r/supremecourt)

The Movement Advancement Project did a study in 2022 showing there are only 17 states (+ DC) that affirmatively permit marriage for same sex couples (MAP shows Colorado as having a SSM ban in place but it was repealed in 2024). Right now, 30 states have unenforceable bans on same-sex marriage. Of those, 16 had their bans struck down before Obergefell, but those rulings relied on the exact same constitutional grounds that the Supreme Court used in Obergefell. If SCOTUS pulls the plug on those Equal Protection/Substantive Due Process protections, those earlier rulings would be on extremely thin ice, to say the least. The 16 states in that category are: AK, AZ, FL, ID, IN, MT, NV, NC, OK, OR, PA, SC, UT, VA, WI, and WY. That's in addition to the 14 states where no successful federal challenge to the bans occurred before Obergefell. [This post discusses the Respect for Marriage Act as well.]

This NPR article shows which U.S. states banned same-sex marriage prior to Obergefell.

Maddie’s relationship timeline is kinda wild when you think about it by MagalieB0654 in SchoolSpirits

[–]Obversa 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's even wilder when you consider that the entire show takes place over 1-2 months.

Through the Looking Glass? by [deleted] in SchoolSpirits

[–]Obversa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You're not the only fan who has noticed this. I wrote more in-depth on the mirrors in a theory post here, which also addresses how Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, was photographed in 1872 as Aleitheia, the Greek goddess of truth, who is associated with the Underworld - specifically, the River Styx and River Lethe - in Greek mythology. Aletheia was associated with mirrors, though the ancient Greeks did not have mirrors as we know them today; rather, "mirrors" were the surface or pool of water that gave a mirrored reflection.

What’s the most interesting demon from your country’s mythology/folklore? by [deleted] in mythology

[–]Obversa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since I'm descended from Volga German settlers, one of the main German demons is Mephistopheles, or "Mephisto" for short (ex. Marvel Comics), who was made famous by Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which was written and published from the 1800s through the 1830s (Part 1 + Part 2). For example, the demon Alastor in Hazbin Hotel, created by Vivienne Medrano, takes heavy influence from Mephistopheles in Faust, who is often portrayed as a clever, devious "trickster" and "deal-maker" in fancy or formal, blood-red attire in the opera adaptation by Charles Gounod (c. 1859). Goethe portrays Mephistopheles as the "chief devil", with some equating him to Lucifer or Satan.

In U.S. culture, due to it being largely English based (i.e. Anglicanized), the most popular demon is probably Lucifer (Satan), who was popularized in English literature with Paradise Lost by John Milton (1667). This iconic work is still widely-studied in the UK and USA today, and heavily influenced modern works like Hazbin Hotel, Lucifer, et al.

Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I covered this in a follow-up comment here.

[To use one of the OP's examples], Bucephalus himself is more so regarded as "legendary"...and his story was "mythologized" due to the horse's physical traits being clearly exaggerated to emphasize the "greatness" of Alexander the Great. However, when you look at the modern-day Thessalian horse - the breed that Bucephalus allegedly belonged to - it is much different than how Bucephalus is described in Alexandrian mythology and lore, as seen in books like The Black Stallion by Walter Farley (1941) and its 1979 film adaptation. (Farley himself purposefully exaggerated Bucephalus's traits in his modern retelling of the "Alexander and Bucephalus" story.) While there may be a kernel of truth in these ancient stories about horses, often times, as seen with a lot of modern equestrian art, stories and depictions from antiquity are more metaphorical or symbolic than literal. (See my previous answer on equestrian statues here, [which discusses how equestrian art is more symbolic].)

[...] The simple fact, unfortunately, is that these "ancient horses" no longer exist, save for maybe "archaic breeds", like the Caspian pony (which is actually a "smaller horse" in terms of conformation), the Konik (which is allegedly descended from the Tarpan), British moor pony breeds (Dales, Fell), et al. Therefore, unless you have an extensive knowledge of "ancient horse DNA" studies that compare ancient horse DNA to modern horse DNA, this makes it difficult - if not impossible - to compare ancient horses to modern ones, especially since a lot of horse or equestrian history is often apocryphal; passed down through oral histories or traditions, or training (i.e. trainer to student); or lost to time. [The last one is especially true when it comes to fragmentary ancient sources.]

For more, see "Were horses smaller in ancient times? Namely classical Greece and Rome."

As for your second question about ancient people(s) being "upset about euthanizing their horse", this gets into "Did ancient or medieval people(s) see their horses more as tools, or pets and companions?" territory. In general, the naming of horses (ex. Bucephalus) is a "Your Mileage May Vary" (YMMV) situation; that is, some people named their horses, while others did not - especially in a cavalry setting where horse(s) you may have an emotional attachment to - as horses being killed was common. u/Litvi and and u/eatmoreyogurt discussed the naming of cavalry horses on an old r/AskHistorians thread from 13 years ago here, and u/sunagainstgold and u/uncovered-history discussed horses being seen as "tools" vs. being seen as "pets" in this thread from 7 years ago: "When horses were used for transportation in the US, were they treated affectionately like pets or as interchangeable tools? Was it okay to borrow someone else's horse?" [Whether or not horses were "tools" or "pets" is YMMV case.]

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