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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Europe

Ancient places can be found all over Europe. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on European history. Visiting such ancient places in Europe can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present the most interesting archaeological sites all over Europe, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

Roman executions at the Colosseum were a gruesome affair, as depicted in The Christian Marturs' Last Prayer by Jean-Léon Gérôme. Source: Public domain

Roman Executions in the Colosseum: The Stories of Laureolus and Androcles

Public order in ancient Rome was a priority for the elite, who contrived a range of gruesome punishments for purportedly serious crimes deserving the death penalty. As a result, a day of fun and...
The Curious Case of the Rocky Valley Labyrinths

The Curious Case of the Rocky Valley Labyrinths

Located between Boscastle and Tintagel , Rocky Valley is a small valley in northern Cornwall , England, carved by the Trevillet River. A site of mystic and historical fascination, it is home to two...
Statue of Dionysus Bacchus.

The Thracian Oracle: Has the Famous Sanctuary of Dionysus Been Found?

The Thracians were an ancient people inhabiting parts of modern day Bulgaria and Greece. The lands of the Thracian tribes were home to several significant ancient cities, important landmarks and...
Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos

Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos

On the Greek island of Samos there is a famous cave, named the Pythagoras Cave due to its association with the famous ancient Greek philosopher. Pythagoras is believed to have lived in the cave for a...
A stretch of the ancient walls of Seville are still visible along calle Resolana, between the Gate of Macarena and the Gate of Córdob

The Walls of Seville: Roman Defenses With A Very Moorish Upgrade

Over the course of its history, Seville has been surrounded by walls. Starting out in Roman times, they have been continually reformed and rebuilt, expanding as the city grew over time. If you visit...
The Neolithic Builder of the Aberdeenshire Recumbent Stone Circles

The Neolithic Builder of the Aberdeenshire Recumbent Stone Circles

In my recently published book, I write “It is astonishing that so much attention is given to the prehistoric monuments of both Stonehenge and Avebury henge when the remains of a far greater Stone Age...
Spain’s Sagunto Castle: From Iberian Arse To Roman Sagunto and Beyond!

Spain’s Sagunto Castle: From Iberian Arse To Roman Sagunto and Beyond!

Sagunto Castle is located not far from the city of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. The parts of Sagunto Castle that are most visible, i.e., its defensive walls, date largely to the Islamic...
Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Spain

The Long and Difficult History of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Spain

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, more commonly known as the Sagrada Familia, is an unfinished Roman Catholic minor basilica located in Barcelona, Spain. The basilica was designed by the renowned...
Aquincum: Exploring the Ancient Roman City Under Modern-Day Budapest

Aquincum: Exploring the Ancient Roman City Under Modern-day Budapest

The ancient Roman city of Aquincum, now located under Budapest in Hungary, was once the capital of Pannonia on the northeastern border of the Roman Empire. From its strategic location on the banks of...
This painting depicts news of the Battle of Flodden when it reached Edinburgh.

Scotland’s Great Tragedy: The Bloody Battle of Flodden

Throughout history, grand battles were often deemed necessary when ambitious nations were forming. They served as a crucible on which an identity of a people was forged and preserved. The history of...
The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry

The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry

The Roman quarry of El Mèdol , located in modern-day Tarragona (Tarraco in ancient times) in Catalonia is literally a man-made marvel. This limestone quarry was used by the Romans to build the city...
The Protector of Kea Island: The Lion of Kea

The Protector of Kea Island: The Lion of Kea

The Greek island of Kea has been a popular location since ancient times, given that it is the closest Cycladic Island to Athens . One of the most famous monuments of the island is the Lion of Kea, an...
The Argead Dynasty and the Founding of the Kingdom of Macedonia

The Argead Dynasty and the Founding of the Kingdom of Macedonia

The Argead dynasty was a royal dynasty that founded and initially ruled over the Kingdom of Macedon. This dynasty traces its origins all the way back to the mythical hero Heracles, via Temenus, his...
Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle - One of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle - One of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine

The Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle is a fortress located in the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi, in the western part of Ukraine. According to written sources, the city existed as early as the 12th century,...
The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, England. Source: Artem Mazunov / Adobe Stock

King Arthur’s Glastonbury Grave: The Greatest Hoax of the 12th Century

When the grave of the legendary English King Arthur was discovered on the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey in the year 1191, it seeded a cult that would continue to bring visitors to Glastonbury for...
Reviving the Panathenaic Stadium for the Olympic Games

Reviving the Panathenaic Stadium for the Olympic Games

The Panathenaic Stadium is a historical monument located in Athens, Greece . Although the current structure was only built at the end of the 1800s, the current stadium was built on a site once...
The Hoia Forest in Romania has become connected to paranormal activity in local legends and is said to be haunted by unfriendly spirits.

Romania’s Bermuda Triangle: The Creepy Hoia Forest of Transylvania

Outside of Romania , especially in the English-speaking world, Transylvania is a land associated with vampires. Inside Romania, where Vlad Dracul , or Vlad the Impaler , is a national hero, the story...
Night view of the castle and Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic. Prague, over time, became the definitive center of the growing Kingdom of Bohemia.

The Kingdom of Bohemia: European Jewel and the Heritage of Czechs

The colorful history of the Czech Republic is firmly rooted in its predecessor, the illustrious Kingdom of Bohemia. A powerful kingdom that lasted for more than seven centuries, it was an...
Sign Language Only in the Topkapi Palace of Suleiman!

Sign Language Only in the Topkapi Palace of Suleiman!

Almost everyone at the Istanbul Topkapi Palace was a slave, but this is not the only curious attribute the palace had when ruled by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Everyone was forced to learn and...
Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland

The Hill of Tara: Tracing the Footsteps of the High Kings of Ireland

The Hill of Tara is said to be one of the most ancient sacred sites in Ireland. Predating the Celts by thousands of years, the archaeological site is covered in tombs , monuments, and Neolithic...
Italica, Spain: Rome’s First Settlement In Hispania Became Incredible!

Italica, Spain: Rome’s First Settlement In Hispania Became Incredible!

Italica is an archaeological site located in the southern part of Spain, not far from Seville. The site dates to the Roman period and was founded by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. Italica is...
Pavlopetri ruins and reconstruction

Pavlopetri: 5,000-Year-Old Town Discovered Underwater in Greece

Nothing sparks the imagination of history enthusiasts quite like underwater discoveries, ranging from sunken cities to the millions of shipwrecks still unexplored on the seabed. The bottom of the...
Dashwood Mausoleum: Final Resting Place for Family of Hell Club Founder

Dashwood Mausoleum: Final Resting Place for Family of Hell Club Founder

Prominently sitting atop a hill in West Wycombe, United Kingdom, is an unusually shaped building called the Dashwood Mausoleum. This open-top, hexagonal structure houses the remains of the Dashwood...
The Stoa of Attalos: Restored Agora of Athens Structure Is Amazing

The Stoa of Attalos: Restored Agora of Athens Structure Is Amazing

The Stoa of Attalos (also spelled Attalus) is a monument that was once part of the ancient Agora of Athens. This stoa was built along the eastern edge of the agora, and dates to the 2nd century BC...

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