Although this account is mainly for Ancient History, I am interested in all history and economics. Today, I'd like to share this curious banknote from my small collection. Printed in 1975, this 10 Riel bill from Democratic Kampuchea (modern Cambodia) never circulated. You see, from 1975 to 1979, Democratic Kampuchea was the absolute dominion of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), also known as the Khmer Rouge. In an extraordinary and suicidal attempt to bring paradise to earth, in 1975, the Khmer Rouge decided to abolish all private property, markets, and… money. This is the only attempt in modern history that I know of a state abolishing currency. They blew up the Central Bank, literally, with explosives. Banknotes like the one I bring you today flooded the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh. In 1977, Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, said in a speech: "Apart from the aforementioned questions, we continue to operate without the use of money, with no daily salary. Our entire people, our Revolutionary Army, all our cadres, and all our fighters live in a collective system through a communal support system, which is being improved with every passing day." However, instead of banknotes or coins, people used rice as money. Pol Pot and his men ignored basic economic principles. I bought this banknote on eBay as a reminder. One side shows a field of rice and the other a machine gun. Precisely, it is sadly ironic that during the reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge, at least 25% of the population (~ 1.5 – 2 million people) died due to famine and the state-sponsored annihilation of the enemies of the revolution.

I have just finished my good friend @DanDonatoV's first book 'The Privateer' And I am absolutely blown away! The best compliment I can give is that it is the fastest I have ever finished a book. A proper page turner. I am normally a one chapter a night kinda guy, but I found myself unable to put it down. If you love adventure tales, particularly those based in the world of privateers and pirates, then you will LOVE this. And well you are at it, go follow Dan, he's an awesome guy

1/10 It's not every day that one sees a colossal statue towering 13 ft. and 9 in. (4.2 m) high. On display at the MET, let's see this fantastic Bodhisattva in a 🧵of ten 📸.

Who was the greatest Roman emperor?

In under four years, Cambodia's government killed about a quarter of its own people. When the communist Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, seized the country in 1975, they declared it "Year Zero." History would start over from scratch. They emptied the cities at gunpoint, marching some two million people out of the capital and forced the entire population onto collective farms. Money was abolished. So were private property, religion, and schools. The goal was a pure agrarian state, built by forced labor. The Communists set out to erase anyone who might think for themselves. Being a doctor, a teacher, or a monk could get you killed. So could speaking a foreign language or simply wearing glasses. To save bullets, executioners often used hammers, hoes and sharpened bamboo. The bodies filled the mass graves that became known as the Killing Fields. By the time a Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge out in 1979, between 1.5 and 2 million Cambodians were dead out of a population of roughly 8 million. One in four Cambodians. Dead. Not by war or natural disaster. From their own Communist government.

The Roman poet Virgil (70 – 19 BC), in his "Georgics," wrote about the "twice-flowering rose beds of Paestum," and Martial, Propertius, and Ovid praised their vibrant colors and scent. Today, we talk about Paestum and its Temple of Athena! 🧵 of history and 📸 below!