Startling Miriam
Geckos are reptiles found on all the continents except Antarctica. These colorful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests to...
Snake Charmers
Although snake charming as it exists today probably originated in India, the earliest evidence for snake charming comes from ancient...
Hestia's Divine Role
Hestia was an important goddess in the everyday life of Greeks. As the goddess of the hearth, she personified the fire burning in the...
Amulets
When Miriam showed an interest in Judah’s practice of alchemy, he invited her into his living quarters at the back of his shop where she...
Have You Tried Flamingo Tongues?
Native to the salt lakes of Africa, the flamingo was eaten in Rome only by those who could afford it. In Roman times, having a flamingo...
Where to go When You're Hungry
This modern pantopoleion in Thessaloniki is a delicatessen catering to locals, and via the internet, to a world-wide clientele. In...
The Roman Goddess of Death
Libitina’s very name has sunk into such obscurity that she is seldom mentioned as a goddess of antiquity. She was portrayed as a black...
Lucanica, An Ancient Roman Sausage From Lucania
When Miriam’s twin brother, Binyamin, returns to Alexandria in “The Bodyguard”, he can’t resist going to the games. And so, he takes...
Enjoy the Fun
When Binyamin returns to Alexandra in “The Bodyguard”, he has to keep his identity a secret. He exploited the benefits of being declared...
Who Were The Soothsayers?
In “The Bodyguard”, the first novelette in The Deadliest Returns, Miriam is shocked to find that her twin brother has returned to...