My Membership

 I have become a member of the New Israeli Scientific Society, which was established in March 2025. I will continue giving Zoom lectures for the Department of History and Philosophy as well as for the general public. My next presentation will take place on May 12 and will focus on the portage of ships across the Isthmus of Corinth. This event highlights the efforts of the Byzantine fleet to eliminate corsair raids by the Emirate of Crete.

I am currently editing the third and final part of my article, "The Fall of New Rome." I reviewed another version of the events of the Fourth Crusade titled "Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice" by Madden. Additionally, I checked various facts and citations. I found evidence that Cardinal Peter Capuano absolved the Venetian participants of their crusading vows, allowing them to return home with a clear conscience – much to the Pope's displeasure. I will need to incorporate additional nuances into the text and save further details for another edition.

I apologize for the brevity of this entry, but there is so much work to be done. I hope to compensate my readers and listeners with more comprehensive articles and lectures in the future.

The Fall of New Rome: The Sack of Zara

It seems that my notes have generated some interest among readers, and I feel it is important to update you on the latest developments.

I have edited the second part of my new article, "The Fall of New Rome," which focuses on the events of the Fourth Crusade. This section highlights the role of the Venetian fleet in the siege of Zara (Zadar, Croatia) and delves into the tensions within the crusading camp, while discussing the campaign's ultimate goal.

https://www.academia.edu/128273374/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_2_The_Sack_of_Zara 

I am in the process of editing the third and final part of my account.

Additionally, I have uploaded the revised version of Chapter 3 of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." This updated chapter presents an enhanced version of the final chapter of Unit I: The Three Trick Questions of Mathematical Geography. It explores how medieval European scholars understood the extent of the inhabited world. Drawing on the calculations of Ancient Greek geographers, cosmographers like Henricus Martellus developed a concept of populated regions separated by vast stretches of the Ocean Sea. The following Bottom Line of Unit I summarizes the first three chapters. 

https://www.academia.edu/128448718/How_Long_Spans_the_Inhabited_World

The last paper sparked a brief discussion with a reader who prefers a different version of the stadium. For more information about the various versions, see my previous paper

 https://www.academia.edu/127881027/How_to_measure_the_Earths_circumference

I expressed my preference for a middle calculation because we are often unaware of the specific calculation methods used in different cases. In my opinion, choosing an alternative standard does not affect the overall outcome. Medieval cartographers faced a dilemma between Eratosthenes's concept of a "giant Earth" and Posidonius's idea of a "dwarf Earth." I also plan to upload two additional re-edited chapters in the future. My main focus has been the exploration of early gunpowder weapons on medieval ships. Additionally, I want to research the role of mechanical artillery onboard these vessels.