As a historical fiction author, the allure of the past is not just a fleeting interest but a perpetual call. It is the desire to not only uncover stories that time has obscured but also to experience firsthand the physical remnants left behind by those gone before us.
My journey this month along the coast of southern Europe—wandering through the ruins of Pompeii, admiring the grandeur of age-old castles, and savoring the sights and sounds along the bustling streets of ancient cities—has been nothing short of a pilgrimage back in time. But, amidst these explorations, I realized that fundamentally, little has changed in the human saga. The challenges of daily life, familial and societal pressures, economic woes, political strife, the need for entertainment and connection, and the sheer impermanence of existence are as much a reality today as they were centuries ago.
In Pompeii, the silence is profound, yet it speaks volumes. Walking through the cobbled streets, you can almost hear the echoes of market traders hawking their wares or the gossip of locals lounging in the baths. Pompeii was a vibrant city, full of life and complexities. Political graffiti on the walls hints at a society rife with opinions and political engagement, not too dissimilar to the social media feeds today. It’s fascinating to see how the public’s voice found a medium, whether chiseled on stone in 79 AD, published in newsprint in 1819 as depicted in my first book Masque of Honor, or tweeted in cyberspace as we do today. The bars, the homes, the public spaces—all tell a tale of a community that is not unlike our own. There were families here, loves, betrayals, and daily struggles, preserved for eternity by volcanic ash.
As my travels took me to the castles and fortresses along the Mediterranean Sea, each stone and spiral staircase whispered secrets of the past. These strongholds of power once bustling with royal affairs, secret rendezvous, and political intrigue, now stand as solemn sentinels of history. They remind us that our current political scandals and celebrity gossip are just the modern iterations of age-old dramas. Power has always been a game, and it has been played long before our time. Each hall and turret has witnessed life in all its shades—joy, conspiracy, and tragedy—mirroring the multifaceted essence of human existence.
Traveling through cities like Barcelona, Kotor, and Athens, the layers of history are palpable in the air. Each city is like a palimpsest, an old manuscript that has been written and rewritten over time. Beneath the modern veneer, the foundational elements of society—commerce, law, art, and social stratification—are remarkably consistent with the past.
Athens, with its juxtaposition of ancient ruins and contemporary life, shows that the central issues of society—governance, infrastructure, public welfare—are timeless. Ancient Etruscan, Roman and Grecian amphitheaters, once venues for thrilling entertainment and a display of societal values, are not unlike today’s stadiums and concert halls where people gather in masse, united by common interests.
The historic cafes and streets of Barcelona, where revolutionaries once plotted, lovers rendezvoused, and philosophers debated, are still vibrant with the same activities. It is a testament to the enduring nature of human desires and pursuits.
Coastal cities along the Adriatic Sea such as Kotor in Montenegro, and Zadar in Croatia, hold similar enduring customs that transcend time. Balkan culture became the reserve of Hellenistic tradition fused with the legacy of Saint Paul and continues to be so today. An ethos that avoids obeying the rules of an excessively ordered and civilized world is the common denominator of among the different ethnic groups of the region, providing a collective identity despite religious and cultural differences.
This trip has been a reminder of the cyclical nature of history. Empires rise and fall, cities flourish and fade, but the core aspects of human life remain. We build, we destroy, we love, we betray. Each generation thinks itself unique, yet we tread paths worn deep by the footsteps of those who came before us. As I visit these sites and cities, I am not just walking through ruins or ancient buildings; I am navigating the corridors of human experience.
As I draft the outlines for my next novel, I was inspired by the whispers of history echoing in these ancient places and am reminded of the connection between the past and the present. The characters I am creating live in a different era, but their aspirations, challenges, and emotions are intrinsically linked to ours, and to those of antiquity. They, too, laughed, loved, and cried. They suffered hardship, endured injustices, and cherished their family life. They struggled, stumbled, failed and persevered—universal themes that bridge the gap between then and now.
Understanding the past provides not only context but also a mirror reflecting our own time. My travels not only provided a welcome get-away but served to enrich my understanding of human character and helped to deepen the narratives in my writing.
History is not just about what changes; it’s profoundly about what endures.
