In 1886, America found itself at the pinnacle of the Gilded Age.

Across the Atlantic, Paris was erecting the Eiffel Tower, Monet was pioneering an art movement, and Tolstoy was writing his novels.

Soon, the most iconic statue in the world would rise.

🧵... A decade earlier in a workshop in Paris, the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi is working out the designs of Lady Liberty.

From the frozen tundras of Finland to the urban battlegrounds of Stalingrad, expert marksmen have single-handedly shifted the tides of entire battles.

A countdown 🧵 on the world’s most lethal snipers #10 Roza Shanina 🇷🇺

Nickname: "Stalin's Sniper"
Confirmed Kills: 59
Service: World War II
Weapon: Mosin-Nagant M1891/30

When a Bedouin shepherd strolled into an unassuming cave he stumbled upon an ancient artefact that would forever alter our understanding of history.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls sent shockwaves throughout he world.

A 🧵 on the man who wrote the bible. The year is 1947, the shepherd Muhammad edh-Dhib (not the guy from Dune) is looking for his lost goat.

When he enters a cave to find the member of his flock he found several clay jars containing ancient scrolls.

As the arch nemesis of the Crusader Kings, Saladin clashed with some of Christianity's greatest heroes.

This is the tale of the man who annihilated the Crusader army and paved the way for the recapture of Jerusalem.

🧵... The first crusade had seen a succesful capture of Jerusalem in 1099.

The Holy City was now Christian and became a stronghold for Frankish crusaders.

While searching for the legendary lost city of Vilcabamba, Yale University Professor Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the overgrown ruins of Machu Picchu.

As he explored the site, he encountered a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.

A🧵on the unexplained. The year is 1911 when (the always cheerful) Bingham embarks on a journey to find the legendary last refuge of the Incas resisting Spanish conquest.

British 🇬🇧 explorer Percival Fawcett vanished without a trace whilst searching for a lost civilization in the jungles of South America.

Fawcett's belief, once dismissed as mere fantasy, is now being reconsidered in light of new archaeological findings

A 🧵on his heroic journey. The year is 1886, with the British Empire nearing its peak, and the hero of the story "Percy", decides to enlist in the military in order to see the world.

Flamma was arguably the most successful fighter to ever grace the arena.

With a legendary track record of 34 fights, he was granted his liberty four times.

This is the tale of the gladiator who earned his freedom, but choose to live and die by the sword.

🧵... It is the twilight of the first century AD when the hero of our story “The Flame” is born in Syria.

The Romans annexed the region in 64 BC after defeating the Seleucid Empire.

Few warrior units are as iconic as the English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿longbowmen.

Their volleys of arrows rained death from above, causing widespread culling of enemy combatants. (read: the French 🇫🇷)

A thread on this game changing weapon and how it altered the course of history. The English longbow, while most famously associated with England, did not actually originate there.

English adopted the longbow after witnessing its effectiveness in battles against the Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

When three legions entered the Teutoburg Forest they were wiped off the face of the earth.

The Varian Disaster was one of the biggest humiliations for the Roman Empire.

A thread🧵on the world’s most notorious ambush.

“Varus! Bring me back my legions!” The year is 9 AD. Augustus was the first Emperor, and the Romans were expanding their empire (as Romans do).

Rome had established control over various Germanic tribes and aimed to integrate additional territories into its domain.

The Romans used War Dogs to wreak havoc among enemy combatants.

A thread 🧵on their devastating use in battle and the men that handled them.

"Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war” The use of dogs in warfare predates the Romans, with early civilizations such as the Assyrians and Egyptians employing dogs in combat roles.

The Roman Empire was forged out of marble and blood.

Here is a list of the most important battles fought during its dominion.

Help me choose which one to make into the next Card.

🧵 1) Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD)
Location: Teutoburg Forest, Germania.
Belligerents: Roman Empire vs. Germanic tribes.
Outcome: Decisive Germanic victory.

Millenia of conflicts made the art of war evolve.

What hasn’t changed are its core principles; army composition is everything.

The Romans understood this vital fact and realized the necessity of embedding cavalry into their legions

A 🧵on their use and evolution. Every RTS fan knows that a variety of units means a variety of strategies.

Without versatility there is only one combat scenario available which means you are easy to anticipate and easy to counter.

The horde seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Like a swarm of locusts, they descended upon the Roman Empire.

Attila, one of the most notorious leaders in history, would rightfully obtain the title “The Scourge of God”.

His invasion would alter the destiny of millions. When the Huns arrived on the scene it is the late 4th century BC.

The Roman empire has already been split in two halves. This division occurred in 285 AD under Emperor Diocletian.

Over the course of millennia, his life has influenced millions, it certainly impacted mine.

I offer you 20 practical insights which have profoundly reshaped my own life.

Seneca advised several prominent figures in ancient Rome. Fortunately, now he can advise you.

...🧵 #1 - On seizing the day.

For centuries, the mist-shrouded island in the northern seas deemed unconquerable.

It’s tribes were too wild, its coastline too rugged, its location too distant.

When Emperor Claudius decided to launch a daring invasion, the tides of history would forever be shifted.

...🧵 This story starts a century earlier, when Julius Caesar in 54 BC launched a reconnaissance mission and landed with two legions on the coast of Kent.

While successful in battle and the subsequent collecting of tributes, no territory was conquered before leaving back to Gaul.

Today I cover one of humanity's darkest pages.

Lebensborn (Spring of Life) was a program aimed at promoting the growth of the "Aryan race" and the propagation of "pure blood".

This is the story of a the Nazi human selective breeding and child abduction program. 🧵 The year is 1933, Birth rates had been declining for years and is compounded by a rise in abortions.

This population growth problem was exacerbated by a shortage of marriageable men following the devastation of World War I.

Riding the Orient Express remains a dream adventure for me.

It was known for its lavish accommodations & impeccable service, catering to aristocrats, diplomats, & wealthy travelers.

Wandered what it was like? Want to find out the prices?

Join me on this journey. All aboard! 🧵 The year is 1883, a Belgian entrepreneur named Georges Nagelmackers was inspired by the idea of creating a luxurious and comfortable train service that would connect major European cities with the exotic and culturally rich city of Constantinople (now Istanbul).

Today, in the year 1865, one of the greatest presidents the world has ever seen lost his life after being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.

A two week manhunt commenced to hunt down the perpetrator.

This is a tale of a president, a play and a pistol 🧵 The Setting:
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln attended a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.

The Civil War was drawing to a close, and the atmosphere was celebratory.

Lincoln, accompanied by his wife Mary and two guests, settled into the presidential box.

This is the tale of the woman who defied the Roman Empire.

When her land was seized, her daughters violated, & her own body scarred by Roman cruelty, she swore to take vengeance.

The following is an account of her quest for justice & the rampage that was unleashed in Britannia: The year is 60 AD, during the Roman conquest of Britain, interactions between the native Britons and the Roman occupiers were often marked by tensions and conflicts.

I've curated a list of my top 10 favorite cards from "The Dutch Collection". 🇳🇱

These list highlights some of the unique heroes, achievements, and events from the country I call home.

A countdown thread 🧵 10) The Keukenhof traces its origins back to the 15th century when the estate served as part of the hunting grounds for Jacoba van Beieren.

It is renowned as one of the world's largest flower gardens drawing in mullions of visitors each year.

Perfect during spring!

This is the story of the Barbarian King who ended the Western Roman Empire.

The Germanic Chieftain Odoacer’s removal of the child emperor concluded Imperial Rule in the west.

I realize it does sound like the beginning of a fantasy novel, luckily it gets even stranger🧵 Every story needs some context, so lets begin with his birth. Odoacer was likely born around the mid-5th century into a Germanic tribe called the Sciri.