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In ancient Sparta, the marriage typically began with a symbolic elopement or capture where a bridesmaid or female attendant took the bride. The attendant shaved the bride's head close to the scalp and dressed her in a man's chiton, cloak, and sandals. The bride was left alone on a mattress or straw pallet in a darkened room. The groom, after dining secretly with his fellow soldiers in the mess hall, slipped in to visit her discreetly before returning to his military barracks. Historians and ancient accounts point to a few leading interpretations. Because Spartan men lived in a strictly regimented, all-male military culture where close and intimate bonds with older or younger males were institutionalized, some historians suggest the masculine appearance of the bride helped ease the groom's transition to sexual relations with a woman. Other scholars interpret the haircut and men's attire as a symbolic transformation, marking the bride's passage from unmarried girlhood into the disciplined, state-tied role of a wife. Some analyses propose that appearing like a boy or a man made the bride seem less intimidating or foreign to a young husband unaccustomed to prolonged domestic life with women. . . . In ancient Sparta, a bride's wedding preparations could begin with something extraordinary. Her hair was cut almost to the scalp, she was dressed in men's clothing, and she was left alone in a darkened room to await her husband. The reason may have had as much to do with the groom's sexual experience as with the bride herself. The Greek historian Plutarch described this unusual marriage ritual centuries after Sparta's greatest military power. According to his account, the bride was first taken in a ceremonial abduction. A female attendant then cut her hair short, dressed her in a man's cloak and sandals, and placed her on a mattress in darkness. Her husband arrived secretly after eating with his fellow soldiers. After spending time with his bride, he returned to sleep among the men. Even after marriage, Spartan husbands continued living much of their lives in the company of other soldiers. Visits to their wives were supposed to be discreet, sometimes taking place under cover of darkness. Why would a society dress its brides to resemble men? One explanation offered by modern historians concerns the intimate relationships between males in Spartan military culture. Spartan boys entered a demanding state-controlled educational system that emphasized physical training, discipline and close bonds between older and younger males. Some of those relationships also had an erotic dimension. Scholars have suggested that dressing a bride in masculine clothing may have helped a young husband accustomed to male companionship make the transition to sexual relations with a woman. But that explanation remains debated. Others interpret the haircut and clothing as a rite of passage, marking the bride's transformation from unmarried girl to wife. The ritual is especially striking because Spartan women enjoyed freedoms uncommon elsewhere in ancient Greece. They received physical training, could own substantial property and were expected to speak with unusual confidence. Yet marriage still served the state's overriding demand for legitimate children and future soldiers. Plutarch's account leaves us with a remarkable image: a young woman entering marriage by surrendering the long hair associated with her girlhood and adopting the appearance of a man. Whether the purpose was sexual, symbolic or both, the ritual reveals how differently the Spartans understood marriage. #archaeohistories

JUST IN: Economic analysis of 64 countries finds that nations with more billionaires per capita tend to have fewer people living in poverty.

I thought it was playable. Campaign was very linear, but had good moments of writing.

WTF, $3000 Samsung TV has an always-on mic, automatic content recognition, geo tracking, network mapping, and ships your data to Samsung + 400 partners. Bro Rooted a brand-new 2025 Samsung TV after noticing absurdly targeted ads. Firmware was locked down, so zero-days it was. Got a root shell. then found: always-on voice service, ACR, geo, full telemetry pipeline, and four separate DRM systems. This isn’t a bug, It’s the product bro.

Bend, Oregon man who shot and killed a shooter at his daughters' school speaks out, praises female teacher for fighting the shooter, allowing him to have a clear shot. Kaylub Giamanco says he is haunted by the sound of children pleading for their lives. He also praised the teacher for grabbing the gunman's weapon, allowing him to take a shot at the shooter. "I want to recognize [the teacher]. She gave me the opportunity to make my shot without losing my life..." "I swung the door open, and I stepped in, and I fired, and they dropped to the ground... I looked down at the gunman, and he was scrambling for his weapon. And I looked at him, and I shot him 2 more times..."

Wrong.

Chris Avellone (Planescape, KOTOR 2, and Fallout: New Vegas) just dropped a MEGATON NUKE regarding BioWare's hiring practices... "...when applicants would apply to the studio, the producer would go through their LinkedIn to see what posts they liked, and if he disagreed with their political/social Like, he'd advocate not to hire them based on their Like." ITS TRUE. EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN SAYING. ITS ALL TRUE. HOLY SHIT!

My new favorite video on the internet 😂

Jamais nous ne devons confondre nos compatriotes qui ont manifesté avec la volonté de porter des revendications légitimes, avec ceux qui ont détruit, pillé, cassé.

A compilation of cats being amazed by toys

While Europe is focused on keeping the cap tethered on a bottle, America invents flying car

Remember Even in Nazi Germany, Germans saved Jews Not a single Gazan saved a single hostage