47. Alectryomancy

Kyle and Emily glimpse into their crystal ball and reveal a word that melds birdwatching and divination into one: alectryomancy.

They look at this word’s origins in ancient Greek, as well as its importance in ancient Rome. Turns out the magic of the rooster is not to be understated! (Though it is stated beautifully by our old friend Pliny the Elder.)

They’ll also take you through some thrilling (if violent) tales from Roman history--including one about a fortune teller, some chickens, and 288,000 lost quincunxes. And they squeeze in a few extra tidbits to peck at, like the divining rituals of hermeticism and the etymology of “praying mantis”!