The History Blog’s Tin Anniversary
Ten years ago today, I wrote the first post on The History Blog. It was a more innocent time then, a time when a crappy thumbnail picture was good enough for me, when a post could consist of little more than a link and a blockquote, sometimes two threadbare posts a day, more often with days-long gaps between them, when it hadn’t yet occurred to me that people might actually be interested in reading about the deep background stuff and the leaps and tangents that often sucked up entire weekends of my time. And so, after a grand total of 21 posts including the introduction, I meandered off somewhere and The History Blog fell fallow like so many blogs before and since.
I did have the decency to feel guilty about it, but that only served to keep me away longer because the more time passed, the worse I felt about abandoning the project and the worse I felt, the more I shrank from returning. A year and a half would pass before I finally got my act together and started posting again. This time I told myself I had to post daily, to make a real committment to produce content on a reliable schedule. If I still had readers after so long an absence, then by Odin I was going to give them something to read.
I’ve (almost) held to that committment ever since. There was a little three month radio silence relapse in the Spring of 2009, but other than that, the history nerddom has flowed like wine up in here. Over time I have developed several new obsessions y’all might recognize, most notably an insatiable greed for high resolution images, linking to any relevant source I can find, wandering around to barely related topics, and appreciating the more salacious or disgusting parts of any given story. Also poop. Poop is just the best. Note to self: it’s been way too long since I posted a poop story.
Thank you for bearing with my idiosyncracies all these years. Now onto the next decade!
I don’t read every post, but I learn a lot from every post I read.
Hey, if I didn’t write them, I wouldn’t read every one either.
Your posts are always interesting!
Thank you for sharing my interests!
Carry on, Livius! I avidly read your posts and look forward to peering closely at the high-res images. Fascinating stuff. Yes, I’m a nerd, too.
Lo, we are legion. And if it ain’t high-res, it’s just a tease.
Congratulations, and thank you!
Thank you for reading!
For all of us nerds, you are a dream! Congratulations, and many thanks!
Emily
Thank you for your enthusiasm!
You had me with the high resolution pics!
I don’t even recognize myself 10 years ago. It’s high res or NOTHING, by gum.
Still my favorite blog bar none! Thank you, Livius!
Thank you, John! I’m proud I still rank on the short list.
Any tips for a newbie?
I think the hardest lesson I learned was to be consistent. If people can rely on new content from you at regular intervals, they’ll keep reading. Besides that, stick to subjects you would babble about in your free time to your most endlessly patient friends and family. They may be bored silly, but plenty of internet denizens won’t be.
Good luck to you! You’ve made a great start already.
It’s a joy to read your notes–THANK YOU!
Thank you, Alf! I’ll keep writing if you keep reading.
Thank you for your reply!
I love your blog and wish you many congratulations and thanks for keeping it up!
Thank you kindly for the love.
By the way, is your real name Livius Drusus? If so, how did you acquire it? That could be a post of more recent history….
That would give me exceptional nerd cred, but alas, it’s a pseudonym. I used it when I made my first email account (Hotmail, 1995) and have been using it online ever since.
Happy anniversary, Liv!!! Many more of the same.
Here is my gift to you; something you can use when you visit those all-important history digs.
http://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-antique-finish-camper-Interior/dp/B018YU72GW/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&qid=1464902210&sr=8-41&keywords=antique+tin+toys
Enjoy!
Bravo. It takes a lot of discipline to keep one of these things going. On the stories which manage to hit the mainstream media, I always look forward to comparing with your thorough coverage and terrific images – and laughing at what they got wrong or left out.
I’m too am amazed sometimes by the things the mainstream press focuses on or repeats uncritically. Clearly more history nerds need to take up journalism.
everyday, man, everyday! Thanks!
You’re very welcome!
Quidquid ex Livio amamus, quidquid mirati sumus, manet mansurumque est in animis hominum in aeternitate temporum, fama rerum; nam multos ceterum velut inglorios et ignobilis oblivio obruit.
Agricola, eat your heart out!
Happy anniversary! And thanks for persisting; yours is among my favorite blogs of all time!
Thank you for being such a long-time reader! Whenever I see an incoming link from Bookcrossing, I know it’s thanks to you.
Thank you, and keep up the good work.
I will do my utmost. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Congrats! Love the work you’re doing.
Thank you! I love doing it.
I used to visit occasionally. Then I got obsessed with the prehistoric migrations of humans. I read every ancient post. Now I’m hooked. You have the highest standards out there. Thank you!
If there’s anything better than developing a new history obsession, I don’t know what it is. Writing this blog has opened up all kinds of areas I never thought much about before, not even in college. Thank you for the high praise, and for all the reading and commenting too!
Congratulations. Your writing is beautiful, the depth of research amazing. Your blog is an important part of my daily routine. Not knowing your nationality, gender, occupation, etc does certainly add to your mystery!
I don’t mean to be mysterious. I just like to focus on the topic is all. There are a billion blogs out there where people talk about themselves ad nauseam. You shall know me by my history obsessions.
Thank you for the kind words!
Laudem Livius!
I cannot express how appreciative I am of your efforts. As a student of archaeology and a history buff, there is no better internet site than yours for feeding my knowledge beast within. I look forward to, and read carefully, each post. And may I add, your wordsmithery skills are ne plus ultra.
Oh, this old turn of phrase? I just found it in the back of my closet and threw it on.
Thank you kindly, William. 
Congratulations!
An “every day” reader since I discovered your blog.
If you take a few days or even weeks off I’m glad because even though I miss a pleasant part of my day, I don’t want you to “burn out”.
The stories and your commentary are appreciated much more than you know.
I did take those two sick days back in January, but those were some truly dire circumstances. I’m too paranoid that I’ll get out of the habit if I take a week off, and it took a loooong time to develop the habit in the first place. I’ll tell you what, I promise that if I’m feeling burned out, I’ll appoint one or more of y’all my guest bloggers and take a real vacation. Deal?
Thank you!
I can’t even remember how many years I’ve been coming here every day. No other blog has ever held my interest for so long – not even close! I now have my Dad hooked on your blog, too!
I love your writing style and hope you have the desire to keep on doing this for a long time to come!
The family that history nerds together, stays together. I’m delighted to have held your attention so long and now your father’s too. The best is yet to come!
keep up the good work. what kind of traffic do you get, if you’re willing to share?
I get about 5,000 unique views a day, although that plummets on the weekend. So many naughty readers blowing off school and work to read The History Blog.
The internet is a vast information highway with routes to every imaginable location. The paths available are endless. and yet every cyber journey for me starts with a visit to the History blog.
Luke Fords comment sums up my thoughts as well.Thanks for the hard work Livius Drusus, Your thoughtful and clever write ups are always a treat!
Thank you, Jaystuw. May all your stops along the way be entertaining, interesting and inspiring.
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you for being a bright spot in my life. Never doubt that you have had an impact and that it’s been a good one.
I am supremely grateful for your generosity and enthusiasm. thehistoryblog.com is a part of my daily life and I thank you, Livius Drusus.
Here’s to the next ten years!
C. A.
I’ll drink to that! Thank you for your years of loyal readership, C.A.
As long as there’s life in these limbs or, failing that, voice recognition software, there will be a History Blog. Thank you, Elisabeth!
Thank you for all the hard work you put in to not only entertain but truly educate us. Your in depth research is really appreciated in an often superficial world, thank you for giving us your time and sharing your passion.
Thank you, Ambrosius. When I started out, I thought of myself as a new aggregator. Now there are tons of those and they’re mainly terrible. I’m very glad I took a more in-depth path, and I have readers like you to thank for it.
Shortcut-on-desktop-worthy poop on early stuff.
Friends always impressed.
Gratefully, Jim
Wow, that’s high praise indeed. I am obsessive about desktop clutter, so thank you very much!
Yours is a terrific read. Who knew reading about some funky ditch and a nearby well-thing on the banks of a Mid-East river could be fascinating! Dang — this takes talent – theirs in the doing AND yours in composing the tale-of-all-this in a manner worthy of sharing with many, many others… Good for you!
If someone wanted to send you material or a suggestion for a blog-story, where should it be sent…or do you even want the POOP…er…ah…information?
Oh, I love getting information, even when it’s not about poop (but especially when it’s about poop ;)). Click on the Contact Me link to send me an email. Some of my favorite posts have been the result of hot tips from readers.
Thank you for your work. Retired engineer here, but learning that I really love history. From your blog, I have learned so much.
History and engineering come together in the most fascinating ways. I wish I could borrow your brain, education and experience when I’m reading about things like the construction of the Cloaca Maxima. Welcome to history nerddom!
I no longer remember how I ended up here~ but it has become one of (only)a handful->my absolute regular stops for learning!
Ransacked all the archives long ago, and truly appreciate the detail you put into your posts- all of them!
Many, Many Thanks! You can do no wrong:)
Sincerely!
John O:)
Except for the typos. (I originally wrote “typis” just now, believe it or not!) I’m delighted you made your way here, however you managed it.
Poop? Don’t you mean coprolite?
Coprolites will do in a pinch, by I prefer my archaeological feces unmineralized. They preserve so much great stuff.
Your dedication and love for history is truly a blessing to all of us who can’t wait to read and learn about the next amazing discovery with your brilliant detailed writing skills!!!!! You are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much, Barb. To another 10 years of amazing discoveries!
I’ve discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago by random googling. So I’m happy (if somewhat queasy) to have a backlog of 10 years to read through. Thank you
Some of my best stories have been the result of random Googling. If you want to work up to it, start in the beginning and go forward in time. You’ll get through the first year in a matter of minutes.
Thank you for finding me!
Thank you. Nothing more complicated than thank you for the sheer joy and pleasure of your efforts to keep us up on the happenings in history.
Thank you, Pamela. I thought of you when I posted about Joe the Quilter.
Hi Livias. I follow and read your blog avidly with much interest. The standard of your posts are sheer perfection. I am guilty of sharing your posts with twitter and sometimes Linkedin for the simple fact I feel that others are surely interested in your subject posts as I am. They are always top notch. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to more of your wonderful stories.
Thank you, Rita. I always enjoy your comments and am so pleased that you share my posts with others.
Mazal tov on TEN good years! I hope you will never stop blogging. Thank you for all you have taught us over the years.
Dina! Oh my gosh, it’s been ages! Such a pleasure to see your words on this happy occasion. Your 10th anniversary should be coming up in just a couple of years, right?
I read the blog every day. First thing I do. Thank you very much for these years.
Thank you for making the blog your first read of the day for so many years.
Greetings from Portugal!
Congratulations! Reading your daily post is now one of the best parts of my daily routine! Keep up the excellent work for many many years!
Thank you, PARGP! I had the good fortune to visit Lisbon once and even though I had a terrible cold the whole week, I had a wonderful time. Even the earthquake couldn’t break Lisbon.
Congratulations!
It’s always a pleasure to visit your blog.
I’m wondering how you find the time to research and write such interesting substantial posts on a daily basis.
(I would like to mention only one small issue concerning the indication of your image sources:
the reference only appears when the mouse pointer lays over the image. As this is not possible with every device (e.g. tablets) this is a little bit delicate concerning correct proof of copyrights etc. because some people/institutions consider this form of indication not being enough.)
I wish you all the best for the next ten (and hopefully more) years!
I basically spend all my free time on it, to tell you the truth. Not every last minute, of course, but a large proportion of it. I would do a great deal of the reading even if I didn’t have a blog, because I’m just that much of a history nerd.
I know the hovertext credit is not a great solution, but I just don’t have room for captions under the thumbnails.Thankfully, most of the sources have been fine with the hovertext, but sometimes they require a caption in which case I use the whole width of the column for the image. It’s inconvenient and aesthetically displeasing to me. When I upgrade the site, I will widen the column and have proper captions, maybe even image credit footnotes, if I can swing the tech.
Thank you!
Thank you – I check in every day and always learn something new. The variety of subjects and quality of your writing are superb. Thanks again!
Thank you, Kris. There’s such a wealth of history topics to write about, the variety can only increase.
Many happy nostoi!
I’m still amazed that you give all of us so much pleasure for free! I wish you had a Donate button.
That’s another thing I’ll get to when I upgrade the site. The current theme is so old and crotchety I can’t add a donate option without causing problems. It’s good to know you’ll press it when I finally have one, though.
Thank-you for the commitment you’ve made to the blog! Reading it has become part of my morning ritual.
Now I can say people read my blog “for ritual purposes” just like every archaeologist who finds an artifact whose purpose is unclear.
Congratulations on this milestone.
I wouldn’t miss a post for anything. It’s one of the first sites I check every morning.
Long live History Blog!
Thank you for choosing The History Blog as part of your daily internet ablutions.
I read your posts and learn something interesting every day. Many thanks! Through your blog I also discovered BENSOZIA – another excellent daily read.
Oh cool! John is a genius.
Thank you for persevering and enriching all our lives. You are the best!
Thank you kindly! The enrichment goes both ways, believe me.
Thanks for the blog, it’s always fascinating. I look forward to many more years of posts.
As do I. Many thanks for reading!
I don’t always comment, but I always enjoy the read. Thank you for posting your labors of love.
Thank you for reading with enjoyment, whether you comment or not.
Hurrah for “history nerddom”! I love this blog; it’s one of the very few sites I try to visit everyday. (And a welcome relief it is from one of my other favorites, an Illinois political blog – so you can imagine!)
Congratulations on your anniversary. I’d suggest champagne, but perhaps a Sumerian beer would be more appropriate.
Oh lawds, you have a stronger stomach than I, Gunga Din. And I don’t mean the Sumerian beer either. Politics may get me down these days, but ancient alcohol always hit the spot.
With you daily…thanks for doing all the hard work for us lazy slobs.
Going down historical rabbit holes and reporting back is a genuine pleasure for me. You go right ahead and kick back, raymond.
Thanks for all your work and all the great stories. My day can’t properly begin without a visit here to learn something new about history and archaeology!
It’s the breakfast of history nerd champions!
Thank you, Clay.
Many happy returns of the day, especially for your loyal readers
The loyal readers brought me back in the old days, and today they keep me motivated to never leave again. Thank you!
Congratulations on your tin-ness! I visit nearly every day, and I enjoy your posts so much I pass out your link like candy to my friends and acquaintances. I hope some of those lazies visit as often as I do. You have such a wonderful humor and such a fine instinct. Here’s to you, hats off and bottom’s up!
Keeep on keepin’ on
Thank you for shamelessly promoting my blog amongst your acquaintance. Some people are born history nerds; some have history nerddom thrust upon them. Either way works for me.
In regard to “keeping the posts flowing like wine”, I went online to find a nice tin can full of the stuff to send you–but to no avail. Maybe a nice Sheriff’s badge?
Hell yes! There’s a big auction of Tombstone memorabilia coming, just fyi. I also take old teetotal christmas puddings and fragments of turtle soup cans.
I do read every post, and I love them all, even the ones on topics I didn’t think I could possibly be interested in. Congratulations on your anniversary, and please don’t stop! We love you!
Also, you need some more emojis — I’m pretty sure my iPhone has a nice little pile of poop.
I find myself fascinated by unexpected subjects all the time. Dig around a little and you find entire worlds.
One of these days I’ll get around to upgrading the site and then you shall stare into a terrifying emoticon abyss the likes of which you have never known.
The History Blog is my favorite blog of all (and “all” is an embarrassing number of sites, blogs, etc etc that I love), and right up there with one of my favorite THINGS of all. Thank you. I read it every day unless I have to stay offline completely to actually get some physical livelihood thing accomplished, and then as soon as possible I get right back and catch up. We’ve based travel on things in the blog and were never disappointed, always whatever the opposite is. I have a backlog (backblog??) of places we still want to go, based on The History Blog. This gush could go on and on, but thank you, and congratulations.
Oh my goodness, what a thrilling compliment you just paid me. I couldn’t be happier to know the blog has played a part in your travel itineraries. Yay! Thank you so much!
I check it every day and read most of the stories, also love the comments. Yours is always the best news item of the day (especially given the dismal state of the world currently). Many thanks.
You’re very welcome. I find history soothing. Even when the news is bad — and the cultural heritage news has been so very, very bad lately — I still take comfort in the cushioning embrace of studying our past.
I am so happy I found your blog! I enjoy reading it daily during my break here at work. My colleagues enjoy my passing on whatever tidbit I have learned (I think). Your work is very much appreciated.
Hey, as long as they don’t tell you to stop, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT’S HOLY, that means they enjoy it.
Thank you for finding me!
Congrats on your anniversary! I check your blog every day and you’ve been a solid bookmark for a long time now. The photos are amazing! My favorite topics discoveries from ancient times, coin/treasure hoards, anything Roman or British, and artifacts being found. Your blog always surprises me by the range of topics you write about! Thank you for all of your dedication and hard work; it’s very much appreciated.
Top wishes to see on this blog some day: new discoveries about the historical Jesus, Alexander’s tomb discovered, any real discoveries regarding Cleopatra & Mark Antony, more clothing/artifacts belonging to Queen Elizabeth I, and more treasure/coin/weapon hoards!
Thank you, CinTam. I love reading your comments and we clearly have similar taste in subject matter. Hoard lovers of the world, unite!
Hail Cesira! I really enjoy this blog. I have learned much and enjoy being introduced to material and ideas beyond my usual thinking. You have expanded my boundaries. Thank you very much for that.
That is profound and beautiful. Thank you so much.
I’m another who only occasionally comments but reads every one. Thank you!
I love comments, but reading is fundamental, as the saying goes. Thank you right back!
Keep up the good work- I read and enjoy just about every one of your postings and never fail to learn something new. Thanks for your hard work.
Thank you, Hans. Wonderful comment threads like this one only confirm the work is all worth it.
I check your blog almost every day. It’s a high point of my morning walk through the internet!
That’s great to hear. Thank you, Edie!
Thanks for all your hard work, Livius! The History Blog brightens so many lives.
Have you considered setting up a Patreon that your readers might help you in turn?
This is the first time I’ve even heard of Patreon. That is a great idea. Thank you for being such a loyal reader and commenter, Cordate.
I only joined your readers a couple of years ago and The History Blog is now often the highlight of my day. I work as a journalist and spend a lot of time surrounded by depressing current events and I love stopping here for some uplifting old news Thank you.
Yours is a tough, tough job. I can (and often do) avoid the news when it’s too depressing. I’m glad to give you something less burdensome to read.
Your blog is a daily treat! Thank you so much :-)
– Maria
Thank you for reading it every day.
I don’t comment very often, but yours is one blog I read every day – it covers fascinating topics and your research is impeccable. And you inject humor, passion, and – I don’t know how to describe it – kindness. Not sure if that makes sense, but I find that refreshing. Multos annos!!!
What a charming thing to say. Thank you so much, Shannon.
By Golly, I read every one! And yes, some are of more personal interest to me than are others, but all are educational and enlightening. Thank you for all the work that goes into each blog!This is a huge project, and we appreciate it.
Thank you for reading every post, Cerelle. Your appreciation means a lot to me.
As everyone else has written, thank you for all your hard work. Your writing style and eye for things which are worth reading mean that The History Blog is an everyday read no matter what the subject.
Thank you, The Jannie. It’s great to know you find value in all kinds of different posts.
I can’t remember how I found out about your blog but since then I have read every blog and gone beck and read the old ones.
You provide much more information than other blogs and I love your writing style.
Your blog has helped to overcome what has been called a major fault of current American education. It has made history boring.
I had great history teachers, thankfully, and both my parents are history buffs so I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in the subject. It’s a sad statement that so many students are bored by history as it’s taught in schools. I think you really have to work damn hard to make history boring. It’s so juicy and funny and tragic and fascinating on its own.
Thank you for reading, John.
Congratulations on your anniversary! I really hope there’ll be many more to come. Your stories always provide interesting background information and, in contrast with articles that I read in the history section of news websites where crappy reporters often tend to misinterpret the evidence, I totally don’t feel the need to fact-check your stories :-D so thanks for your hard work, it’s much appreciated.
Thank you, Maaike. I try hard to provide full context and accurate details, and while I don’t always succeed, thankfully I have great readers to keep me on the straight and narrow.
Congratulations. Just passed 5 years on my own blog and yours has always been an inspiration for me. I admire your constancy and consistency!
Thank you! Congratulations to you on your own milestone. I just checked out your blog — it’s great, btw — and I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with the Knight-Short House.
Thank you for writing whenever you do. I appreciate your posts so much.
Thank you from Italy for your always interesting blog!
I find myself coming here almost daily to read. thanks for posts!
Congratulations on the anniversary! My god you’ve been posting for quite a while!
I found your blog last year and I fell in love right away (don’t tell my girlfriend I wrote that). I spent the rest of 2015 catching up to old posts and now I visit weekly to read your posts (and open the pictures and check them up close OBVIOUSLY), my phone screen is actually the Lod Mosaic after I saw it here.
Thank you for all your hard work!
From an argentinian nerd
I’m joining the (Greek?) chorus to say congratulations on your milestone. I can only imagine how much time and work goes into it. From one history nerd to another, thank you so much for all your work!
I’m an avid history buff and this is the ONLY history blog I follow. Thank you for your dedication and the fascinating information you pass along. You ROCK!
I’ve just realized I missed the anniversary post – long live history nerddom, long your live your idiosyncrasies, you bring joy into many people’s lives:)
