The Google-friendly History Question Thread.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The battle of Dogger Bank?

Actually, the Battle of Jutland is the correct battle. Sorry for the red herring there. I meant that we were finally zeroing in on the ship.

I guess the way the question is worded "Battle of Jutland" is the correct answer.

The ship was the HMS New Zealand and her captain wore a Maori skirt and necklace given to him by a chieftain when they visited the namesake. The local promised that if he wore the rig when the ship went into battle no harm would come to ship or crew. AND IT WORKED!

[leo-rcc]

What was special about a certain Roman Emperor's dining room?

[Trolldor]

It revolved.

[leo-rcc]

It revolved.

Actually it's roof did but I'll give you that. According to the ancient writer Seutonius, Emperor Nero's Domus Aurea had a circular main dining room with a roof that revolved day and night, in time with the sky. In what remains of the palace today, there is a large octagonal room with a domed ceiling that some believe is this dining room. The octagonal room has a large dome with an oculus in the middle. It predates the Pantheon--and was probably the inspiration for it. The architects of the Domus Aurea developed an innovative mechanism cranked by slaves, that made the ceiling underneath this dome revolve like the heavens. While the ceiling revolved, perfume was sprayed from the ceiling and rose petals were dropped on the diners. Legend has it there were so many rose petals falling at one dinner that one of the guests was asphyxiated.

[Trolldor]

Yaay! I finally knew one of the answers! (Sort of)