Robert De Graaff
@robert-de-graaff
Robert is a history enthusiast who specializes in military history and dabbles in many other topics of the past. He is also a script writer for a popular history-focused YouTube channel.
Education
MA History — Montclair State University, 2013
— BA History
Areas of Expertise
Which Was Bigger? Roman Republic vs Roman Empire
Rome was in a state of near constant conquest. While it reached its largest extent under the emperor Trajan, it expanded fastest during the Republic.
The Daily Life and Logistics of a Roman Soldier
The Roman Empire extended from the Atlantic to the Middle East, conquered and defended by its disciplined, professional soldiers. What was it like to be a Roman soldier?
How Mesopotamia Gave Us the Wheel, the Plow, and the City
Mesopotamia is the birthplace of civilization. This revolution relied on three important Mesopotamian inventions: the wheel, the plow, and the city.
Why Ancient Egyptians Tried to Erase the Memory of Some Pharaohs from History
Damnatio memoriae is the deliberate erasure of a person from all records, ensuring their legacy is forgotten. It was used against some pharaohs in ancient Egypt.
The Flat Earth Bible Myth: What Scripture Actually Says
Explorers circumnavigated the globe in the 16th century, proving the Earth is round, but did the Bible ever teach that the Earth was flat, or is this a myth?
Why We Are Still Obsessed With Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt is considered one of the world’s most fascinating civilizations, but when and how did Egyptology become one of the world’s favorite subjects?
The Real Story Behind the Tower of Babel
The Tower of Babel is one of the best-known Biblical stories. Was there a real structure that inspired the tale of a tower reaching as high as the heavens?
Did a Roman Legion Fight in Han China?
Rumors persist of a Roman legion that made it to China following their terrible defeat at the Battle of Carrhae. But is there any actual evidence for this?
The Brutal 1527 Sack of Rome That Forced the Pope to Flee
In 1527, the city of Rome was sacked by mutinous forces of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Pope was forced to flee for his life, protected by his elite Swiss Guards.
How the Eastern Roman Empire Outlived Rome’s Fall by a Thousand Years
The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE is usually seen as the end of the ancient world. However, the Eastern Roman Empire continued for another millennium.
How the Reforms of Charlemagne Birthed the Carolingian Renaissance
Europe became a more chaotic place after the fall of the Roman Empire, until Charlemagne initiated a series of reforms that would lead to the Carolingian Renaissance.
How the Eastern Roman Empire Fell 1,000 Years After the Fall of Rome
The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, survived for a thousand years after the fall of Rome. What eventually caused its fall?