Oh What A Time... #203 Dragons And All That (Part 1)
Oct 11, 2026
Dragons take flight across Rome, Asia and the Americas, from terrifying military standards to legendary serpents and battlefield myths. The discussion also explores how the internet transformed historical research, plus the everyday headaches of studying in 2003. Along the way come phantom big cats, ghostly tales, ambitious pillow inventions and a gigantic cinematic dragon.
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The Internet Transformed Historical Research
- Modern historians can access vastly more evidence than earlier scholars, including translated diaries and archives from dozens of countries.
- Jonathan Fennell’s Second World War research uses translation software, 14 languages, and archives from 50 countries, unlike A.J. Taylor’s limited diplomatic sources.
The Last Pre Internet Dissertation
- Elis James completed a 2003 dissertation without online research, relying on libraries and physical newspapers.
- A historian later told him his methods resembled someone working in 1905 more than a student researching in 2010.
When One Library Book Served Thirty Students
- University research once depended on scarce library copies, forcing students into frantic competition for assigned books.
- Elis James eventually drove to the National Library of Wales and photocopied an entire syllabus for about £150.
