Magical Gladiator

Calligraphy’s Magicians

Todd Oppenheimer | Craftsmanship | 20th June 2025

A calligraphy renaissance is underway, with hundreds of societies operating across the globe. The craft’s adherents are broadly divided into two camps: “pointed pen work”, the “fine-lined, swirly lettering” which originated in England in the 1600s; and “broad nib” calligraphy, with “stout, flat pen points” used for the big, Gothic text commonly seen in newspaper names — like the New York Times (1,600 words)

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Nitpicking Gladiator’s Iconic Opening Battle

Bret Devereaux | Collection Of Unmitigated Pedantry | 20th June 2025

A military historian’s critique in three parts, one and two here. Maximus’s battle plan is actually “Macedonian”, which the Romans would have mockingly called “Greek”. The flaming arrows and catapult shots may be cinematic, but Roman battles were fought mainly by heavy infantry attacking the enemy’s front. Roman generals did not lead from the front of the cavalry, they drove their legions from behind (7,000 words)