In late medieval Valencia, city authorities had a problem with prostitutes who were also living as concubines with their partners. Over a period of 35 years, 400 women and 280 men were fined for this infraction – an example being Bartomeu Crespi and the ‘fembra peccadriu’ Johanna, who were together fined 22 sous for being “amich and amiga, staying in the public brothel”. This amusing article in the journal Speculum examines why the city authorities had an issue with this and why many lower-class men and women broke this law so they could be together. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
