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Solon and King Creso. Source: Public Domain

Solon of Athens: The Grandfather of Democracy (Video)

Solon , a luminary among the seven sages of ancient Greece, was born in Athens around 640 or 638 BC. Hailing from a distinguished family with roots in Salamis, Solon embarked on maritime expeditions...
Aristocratic Athenian Hero Pericles Versus Demagogue Villain Cleon

Aristocratic Athenian Hero Pericles Versus Demagogue Villain Cleon

The founding of the Delian League in 478 BC moved the Athenians closer to the idea of democracy. However, although the Athenians believed that all men were created equal in political power and the...
The Siege of the Acropolis, by Georg Perlberg (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Ancient Origins Of Modern Greece

Nationhood is a figment of the collective imagination, actualized by a cluster of symbols and ideas – flags, anthems, sports teams, traditional dress (sometimes), a common religion (often), shared...
Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens, Greece. Source: Lambros Kazan/Adobe Stock

The Stunning Architecture of the Acropolis of Athens Explained (Video)

Perched on the Athenian Acropolis , a natural fortress rising 91 meters at its peak, ancient Athens flourished during the 5th century BC. Guided by Pericles , the city entered its Golden Age,...
Like all Greeks Athenians love to argue (jambulart/ Adobe Stock)

Visiting A Time Capsule Of Periclean Athens

A time-traveler considering taking a stroll through Periclean Athens has a very narrow window of time to visit Athens in its heyday. Pericles, sometimes noted as the greatest statesman of Athens,...
Marble capital and finial in the form of a sphinx. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain.

Why is the Sphinx Considered a Guardian Figure? (Video)

The Sphinx , an intriguing creature with the body of a lioness, avian wings, and a serpentine tail, is most commonly associated with the Egyptians but could also be found in Greek mythology . In fact...
The Acropolis, Athens, Greece. Source: B.Stefanov / Adobe Stock.

Greece's Crown Jewel: A 360° Tour of the Acropolis (Video)

Uncover the marvels of the ancient Acropolis in Athens through a captivating 360-degree tour by the BBC. The Parthenon, an iconic monument at the heart of this sacred hill, captures immediate...
The Battle of Marathon: Defending Freedom (Video)

The Battle of Marathon: Defending Freedom (Video)

The Battle of Marathon , which took place in late summer of 490 BC, was a defining moment in ancient history. The conflict pitted the citizens of Athens, representing the ideals of western democracy...
Famous historical speech of Pericles. Source: vkilikov / Adobe Stock.

How Ancient Greeks Kept Ruthless Narcissists from Capturing their Democracy

Ancient Greece was in many ways a brutal society. It was almost perpetually at war, slavery was routine, and women could only expect a low status in society. However, there is one important sense in...
Socrates and Alcibiades by Kristian Zahrtmann  (1910) Statens Museum for Kunst (Public Domain)

Athens’ Alcibiades: Charming Playboy, Conniving Politician Or Treacherous Opportunist?

Pericles and Alcibiades were both descendants of the Alkmeonidai, an ancient Athenian aristocratic family. Pericles (495 – 429 BC) was an influential Athenian politician and general in the fifth...
A facial reconstruction of Alexander the Great. Source: Royalty Now Studios / YouTube Screenshot.

Is This What Alexander the Great Really Looked Like? (Video)

Alexander the Great is undoubtedly one of the most legendary figures in history, known for his military prowess and his brief but impactful life. By the age of 18, Alexander fought alongside his...
El Pedagogo, Aspasia y Pericles, by José Garnelo, 1893. Source: Public Domain

Aspasia - The Real-Life Helen of Troy? An Inspirational Courtesan’s Tale

Aspasia, who lived in ancient Greece during the fifth century BC was both admired and infamous in her time. But the truth does not lie in between: hers is a life worthy of admiration. Born in the...

Homeric Hymn to Demeter Or The Thesmophoria – Which Came First?

Evoking early agrarian rituals which celebrated the primal mysteries of birth, death, and resurrection, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter has the distinction of being amongst humankind’s first literary...
Greece’s Rhamnous Coastal Port: Supreme Court Of Nemesis And Themis

Greece’s Rhamnous Coastal Port: Supreme Court Of Nemesis And Themis

Rhamnous on the east coast of Attica, overlooking the island of Euboea, was a deme of strategic importance to Athens during the sixth and fifth centuries BC, because it guarded the Euripus Strait,...
Sunset at Sounon and Poseidon (Cardaf/Adobe Stock) (Adobe Stock)

Greece’s East Attica In Antiquity: Playground Of Gods, Heroes And Heroines

The seductive scenery along the east coast of Attica in Greece overlooking the Aegean Sea, easily lures one back to an era when mythical gods and goddesses still claimed the land and implored their...
Pericles's Funeral Oration, by Philipp Foltz (1852)(Public Domain)

Searching For True Monarchy In Greek Literature

Since the beginning of time monarchs and monarchy have attracted a great deal of attention in the media. Countless works of history have focused on the deeds and misdeeds of political leaders, and...
Temple of Winds in the ancient Agora, in Plaka district in Athens (vaios karalaios/ Adobe Stock)

The Greek And Roman Agoras In Athens

The word ‘Agora’ in ancient Greek means ‘market’ but the agora in a city-state or polis was much more than just a commercial hub , it was also the socio-political center, the verus locus social media...
The plague of Athens killed between 25-33% of the ancient city’s population, yet what happened is still a mystery. This oil painting by Michael Sweerts, circa 1652, is called “Plague in an Ancient City,” and some scholars interpret it as a depiction of the Athenian plague that broke out in 430 B.C. Source: Public Domain

The Plague of Athens Killed Over a Quarter of the City's Population

Pandemics and plagues seem to be the flavor of this decade, occurring at regular intervals throughout history. Some pandemics have been nipped in the bud due to effective collective action or by...
Was Plato’s Atlantis historical fact? And if so, where are its ruins?  Source: fergregory / Adobe Stock

Three Scientific Mysteries of Plato’s Atlantis

In the early years of researching my 5-volume Gods of Atlantos Saga , I read and re-read Plato’s accounts of Atlantis – his dialogues Timaeus and Critias – and was brought up short by three of his...
English Tourists in Campagna, one of many ancient tourist spots, by Carl Spitzweg. Source: Public domain

10 Tourist Spots That Ancient People Visited

Believe it or not, tourism has been around since the time of the Egyptians. Throughout history, ancient people used to travel not only for political and religious purposes, but also for leisure and...
Athens at sunset. Source: gatsi / Adobe Stock

Athens, Home of Democracy: From Antiquity to Modernity

We often think of ancient Athens as being the home of democracy, the place where it all started. And this is true. But the shocking truth is that Athens has spent the vast majority of its existence...
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Source: Геннадий Кучин / Adobe Stock

Athena: Fiercely Feminine Goddess of War and Wisdom

Of all the Olympian gods and goddesses, Athena was arguably one of the most fascinating. The goddess of war, wisdom, and crafts, Athena was known for her many passions and abilities that made her...
Diogenes, depicted here by the French painter Jean-Léon Gérôme, was a philosopher of the cynic school of Greek philosophy and many thought he was crazy, but he was super popular with the people of Athens. Source: Jean-Léon Gérôme / Public domain

Diogenes: The Crazy Greek Philosopher Plato Called ‘Socrates Gone Mad’!

Diogenes (412 BC- 323 BC) was a Greek philosopher like no other. One of the founders of the cynic philosophy, Diogenes believed that people should live simple lives that reject all natural desires...
Dr. Margaret Maitland, Principal Curator of the Ancient Mediterranean at National Museums Scotland, with the recently discovered ancient Greek graduate yearbook. Source: National Museums Scotland

Ancient Greek ‘Graduate Yearbook’ Discovered in Scottish Vault

An unknown ancient Greek marble inscription stored in a museum vault since the 1880s has been rediscovered in Scotland. New research now shows that the tablet includes a list of young men who took...

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