In 509 BC, the last king of Rome - Tarquinius Superbus - was expelled from the city, and the Republic was born. But what do we actually know about the early years of the Republic? Not much, and what we do know is at odds with the much later traditions on which we tend to rely.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new

Sophia Parnok (1885-1933) was one of Russia's first openly lesbian poets. While she's not as known outside of Russia, she's an important figure in the queer community, and is often called “Russia's Sappho.”For Further Reading: Sophia Parnok: The Life and Work of Russia’s Sappho Remembering Sophia Parnok (185-1933) After the Ball is Over: Sophia Parnok’s Creative Relationship with Marina Tsvetaeva Sophia Parnok: from Poems This Pride Month, we’re talking about wordsmiths. Women who used language