This was a very timely article for me, as I just <i>yesterday</i> finished the epic and excellent History of Rome podcast (<a href="http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/" rel="nofollow">http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/</a>). I found it extremely informative, and it really shed some light on the origins of many aspects of European history, that otherwise just seem peculiar.