Weird Medieval Guys

Olivia and Aran take on their greatest challenge to date: two bags of doritos. We attempt to answer with as much rigour as possible the question of whether a medieval peasant would be knocked dead by a taste of the delightful snack. Then, we explore why medieval people loved spices so much that they took over half the world looking for them. Also discussed are the secrets to good soup, the ports and gals of Portugal, and where Italians go when they die. For more information about what we cover, check out:

• Boccacio's Decameron translated into modern English (see "THE THIRD STORY" for a description of parmesan cheese mountain, or just Ctrl-F for "parmesan")

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700-h/23700-h.htm

• A fun list of prices of various goods in medieval Europe, including several spices, compiled by Berkeley professor Kenneth Hodges

http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/120D/Money.html

• A quick look at salt in the Middle Ages on medievalists.net

https://www.medievalists.net/2016/01/using-salt-in-the-middle-ages/

• A more detailed look at the social role of spices in the Middle Ages by Stefan Halikowski Smith

https://www.jstor.org/stable/40110784

• An English Translation of Le Viandier de Taillevent, one of the most significant medieval cookbooks, featuring recipes such as "bright green soup" and "red deer testicle"

https://jpnet.ca/data/viandier/viandier1.html

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• Weird Medieval Guys @WeirdMedieval
• Olivia @olivia__ms
• Aran @aranptappers

Aran and Olivia cover one of the most iconic parts of medieval warfare: the siege. Learn more about the wacky weapons and machines that were used in medieval sieges plus the even wackier people who invented them.

Also discussed are giant eggs, wizards, and unbeatable strategies for rock paper scissors.

For more information about some of what we cover, check out:

• Orban and his giant cannon, Basilic

https://www.camrea.org/2017/09/11/orban-the-man-who-brought-down-the-walls-of-constantinople-part-i/

• A digitised 15th century illustrated manuscript of Bellifortis

https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668178/

• The social and historical background and impact of Bellifortis

https://www.jstor.org/stable/48578613

• Everyday Magic in the Middle Ages on medievalists.net

https://www.medievalists.net/2021/09/everyday-magic-middle-ages/

Olivia and Aran explore three guys from the Middle Ages who gained fame, power and notoriety through their wives. At a time when husbands were expected to exercise complete control over their spouses, these men's stories are inextricably linked with their affection and respect for their wives. Also discussed are the true nature of Parisians, how Grimace came to be, and historical parallels with the Joker and Harley Quinn.For more information about some of what we cover, check out:

• A rundown of the "wife guy" phenomenon

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/wife-guys

• An English translation of the full text of Procopius' Secret History, especially Chapter IX onwards for more about Theodora and her relationship with Justinian

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12916/pg12916.html

• A detailed discussion of the mosaics of Justinian and Theodora in Ravenna

https://brewminate.com/byzantine-art-as-propaganda-justinian-and-theodora-at-ravenna/

• The letters of Héloïse and Abelard

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

• A discussion of Héloïse's influence on Abelard's philosophy

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41963758

• The Wife of Bath's Tale translated into modern English

https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/English/CanterburyTalesVI.php

• A couple articles on gendered power dynamics in The Wife of Bath's Tale

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41925333https://www.jstor.org/stable/25093919Remember, you can read 100 JSTOR articles for free each month if you sign up for an account! (no payment needed!)Follow us on Twitter!Weird Medieval Guys @WeirdMedievalOlivia @olivia__msAran @aranptappers

Olivia and Aran take on five common modern-day misconceptions about the Middle Ages and dig into what makes them so prevalent. These myths are, in order:

1. The medieval world wasn't colourful (0:45)

2. Most people in the Middle Ages were illiterate

3. Medieval knights followed a strict chivalric code

4. Medieval communities were largely homogeneous

5. Medieval peasants worked less than modern people

Also discussed are appropriate names for baby boys, the Breaking Bad "Mexico" filter, and the beneficial relationship between good eyesight and firearm ownership.For more information about some of what we cover:

• A medieval castle restored to its original pink colour https://roaringwaterjournal.com/tag/lime-render-on-medieval-castles/

• The Medievalists.net podcast on literacy and education https://www.medievalists.net/2019/09/education-in-the-middle-ages/

• French Chivalry by Sidney Painter https://muse.jhu.edu/book/72155

• Graves in medieval London https://www.medievalists.net/2019/09/black-death-burials-reveal-the-diversity-of-londons-medieval-population/

• Richard Clark on medieval labour https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ehr.12528

• Nora Kenyon on medieval labour https://www.jstor.org/stable/2589850

Follow us on Twitter!Weird Medieval Guys @WeirdMedievalOlivia @olivia__msAran @aranptappers

In this inaugural episode of the Weird Medieval Guys podcast, Olivia and Aran discuss why medieval art is so intriguing to modern viewers and what makes so much of it so weird. Also discussed are Galaxy Quest, Mel Gibson's crimes against the Middle Ages, and the future historic legacy of explicit images of Garfield the cat.

For more information about some of what we cover:

• Listen to Ira Glass and Michael Camille at Medieval Times
• Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
• Read more about visual puns in the 13th century Rutland Psalter
• Read "The Wonders of the East" online to learn about giant ants, pepper-loving snakes, and more

Follow us on Twitter!

Weird Medieval Guys @WeirdMedieval

Olivia @olivia__ms

Aran @aranptappers