Napoléon e Joséphine
“Sweet, incomparable Joséphine, what a strange effect you have on my heart. Are you angry? Do I see you sad? Are you worried? My soul breaks with grief, and there...
The Common Cause
Women and Water: John William Waterhouse
Born in Rome to English parents, John William Waterhouse grew up surrounded by ancient history. His early work was classical in nature, exhibited at the summer exhibitions at the Royal...
Historical Jewelry: Legacy & Love
Mourning Rings Memento Mori rings, and other sorts of macabre jewelry, have been popular in Europe particularly for many generations. An offshoot of this trend in the 17th century was...
Nostos, or My Homecoming
Hello, again, my friends. The year is closing and I’m having a lot of feelings. In my personal life, I have had a tumultuous year, choosing to take on several...
On Philia and Friendship Bracelets
The bonds that tie us are not the same. And thank goodness. The Greeks defined philia as the sort of love between good friends. It’s platonic — not the romantic...
Euripides, Philosophos
A poet of classical Athens, Euripides stands in our historical memory alongside Sophocles and Aeschylus. We have much of Euripides’ works, more than any other playwright, and in these plays...
Queen Victoria, Still an Icon
During the grand opening of the Grand Exhibition, Queen Victoria wore a cream dress with a wide neckline, front tiers and ruffles reminiscent of floral bouquets. In the coming months,...
Hidden Meanings
We at Common Era do nothing without intention. Every curved line, each carefully placed stone, the carefully wrought edges, the lyrical prose. Every last detail has been turned over and...
Ancient Gemstone Lore
Amethyst The Romans believed amethyst to carry within it temperance and grace, a talisman to ward off drunkenness and the regrets it begets. Prone to rage, fits of lust and...
