Tag: Venice
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Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion
The Lombard invasion of Byzantine Italy in 568 was a pivotal event in Venetian history, as it kicked off the movement towards a distinct Venetian society, culture and, ultimately, state.
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Episode 28 — The early sources
The principal primary sources for the earliest period of Venice are not many, but their history is rather messy.
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The Blood of Christ
A particular Venetian Easter tradition, and a forgotten Venetian charity, and some special relics.
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Courtesans
The ancient Venetians had a rather ambiguous relationship with prostitution. It was both rejected and accepted. Four prints show this ambiguity.
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An almost unknown painter
The paintings of Gabriel Bella are well-known and often used, but very little is known about Gabriel Bella.
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Beheading bulls
During carnival, on Fat Thursday, the Venetians executed a bull in front of the Doge’s Palace. It was beheaded by sword.
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Episode 24 — Festa delle Marie
A tale of pirates, maidens, box-makers, oranges, and ancient promises being kept for centuries, but others not so much.
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Miracle cure or snake oil?
When the English gentleman John Evelyn left Venice in 1646, after almost a year in Venice and Padua, he had more stuff than when he had arrived.
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Episode 23 — Venice treacle — the cure-all remedy
Venice produced and exported Theriac, an ancient wonder medicine for just about every ailment imaginable. It was a flourishing business for centuries, and an important part of the Venetian economy.