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Famous People

In this section, we shed light on some of the most famous and infamous people known throughout history, from powerful pharaohs, to emperors and empresses, acclaimed military leaders, or just regular civilians who’ve been thrown into the spotlight for great crimes or for heroic actions, leaving an indelible mark on the world.

Hoax of the Century? The Truth About Pierre Plantard’s Priory of Sion
28 December, 2020 - 14:03 Aleksa Vučković

Hoax of the Century? The Truth About Pierre Plantard’s Priory of Sion

Emerging in the Middle Ages in monarchic circles, chivalric orders gradually morphed into fraternities and social circles, predominantly in Christian societies. These knightly orders were a privilege...
Famous Dogs in History, from Ancient Greece until Today
24 December, 2020 - 21:46 Mike Powell

Famous Dogs in History, from Ancient Greece until Today

History abounds with stories of the victorious humans who shaped the world into what it is today. But rarely do we stop and consider the dogs who worked, lived, and fought alongside these humans...
10 Of The Most Famous Pirates, Male And Female, Who Ruled The Seas!
15 December, 2020 - 17:27 lizleafloor

10 Of The Most Famous Pirates, Male And Female, Who Ruled The Seas!

There was a Golden Age of Piracy, and that’s not just figurative. It was literally true! Men and women made untold fortunes in gold, silver, jewels, and goods while riding the high seas and bringing...
Eustace the Monk: Talented Pirate For The French And The English
14 December, 2020 - 18:02 dhwty

Eustace the Monk: Talented Pirate For The French And The English

Eustace the Monk was a notorious pirate who operated in the English Channel during the early 13th century AD. As indicated by his title, Eustace had been a monk, though he was also involved in other...
Ancient Muslim man
13 December, 2020 - 21:19 Aleksa Vučković

Ismail al-Jazari: Medieval Muslim Inventor and "Father of Robotics"

The medieval period saw the rise of many new inventions all around the world. Emerging out of the so-called Dark Ages, many prominent scholars and learned minds came up with new inventions to make...
Artist's impression of Teuta, Queen of the Illyrian Ardiaei tribe
9 December, 2020 - 00:09 dhwty

The Fierce Queen of the Illyrians: Teuta the Untameable

Following the defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War in 241 BC, the Roman Republic became a dominant naval power in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, Rome’s control of the seas was not absolute. To...
Strongbow’s Gamble: Richard de Clare and the Norman Invasion of Ireland
30 November, 2020 - 13:55 Aleksa Vučković

Strongbow’s Gamble: Richard de Clare and the Norman Invasion of Ireland

In early medieval history – especially English history – landed gentry and aristocracy played a significant role in the political and social development. Following the Norman invasion of England by...
The Story of Eliza Hamilton: The Woman Behind a Great Man
28 November, 2020 - 14:02 dhwty

The Story of Eliza Hamilton: The Woman Behind a Great Man

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was an American socialite and philanthropist who lived between the 18th and 19th centuries. She is perhaps best-known for being the wife of Alexander Hamilton, one of the...
Ching Shih – from Prostitute to Infamous Female Pirate Lord
12 November, 2020 - 18:57 mrreese

Ching Shih – From Prostitute to Infamous Female Pirate

Ching Shih (or Zheng Shi) was a Chinese prostitute who became a powerful female pirate, controlling the infamous Red Flag Fleet. The fleet grew under her command, with expanding reserves of loot, and...
King Richard I portrait detail
11 November, 2020 - 19:59 dhwty

Unmasking King Richard I: Does the Lionhearted King of England Have a Better Reputation Than He Deserves?

Cruel. Courageous. Scheming. Chivalrous. These are just some of the contradictory words that have been used to describe King Richard I, a ruler with a ‘Lion heart.’ But lions are not always majestic...
Goddess of the Seven Stars: The Rebirth of Sobekneferu
10 November, 2020 - 13:47 Andrew Collins

Goddess of the Seven Stars: The Rebirth of Sobekneferu

In 2017 cinema audiences were treated to the latest reboot of the classic movie franchise surrounding the resurrection of an ancient Egypt mummy. Titled, inevitably, The Mummy, and starring Tom...
‘The Roman Festivals of the Colosseum’ by Pablo Salinas shows people of different Roman social classes. Source: Public Domain
6 November, 2020 - 21:19 John S. Richardson

The Strict Rules Dividing Ancient Roman Social Classes

Ancient Rome was both a class-conscious state as well as strictly hierarchical. However, this did not rule out the opportunity for people to move between ancient Roman social classes. Before the 2nd...
Was Rama Based on a Real Historical Figure?
4 November, 2020 - 22:26 Caleb Strom

Was Rama Based on a Real Historical Figure?

Rama, one of the principle figures of the Hindu text the Ramayana is revered throughout India and the world. Many historians doubt that Rama was an actual person, however, many Hindus believe he was...
Vladimir the Great, known as Volodymyr in the Ukraine, or even Saint Vladimir, seen here during his baptism, has gone down in history as the leader which brought Christianity to the pagan Slavs. Source: Public domain
27 October, 2020 - 17:05 Aleksa Vučković

Saintly Leader, or Vengeful Opportunist? The Story of Vladimir the Great

Vladimir the Great(or Volodymyr) is a controversial figure. Commemorated as an exemplary leader, saint and statesman by some, the story of his life is also evidence of a vengeful, murderous and...
It’s still possible to celebrate Halloween during the coronavirus pandemic.
24 October, 2020 - 16:39 Joanna Gillan

Halloween CAN Go on With These Fun Ancient Traditions

It’s official. Ireland – the home of Halloween traditions – has banned Halloween parties and traditional trick-or-treating festivities this year as tackling Covid-19 remains top of government’s...
The female pope Joan
22 October, 2020 - 01:40 dhwty

Pope Joan: The Female Pope Whose Gender was Revealed When She Gave Birth in a Procession

The origins of the Papacy are traditionally traced to St. Peter, one of the original disciples of Jesus. The current pope, Francis I, is the 265th successor of St. Peter. Needless to say, all 266...
Pharaoh Hatshepsut
14 October, 2020 - 21:29 ancient-origins

Hatshepsut: The Queen Who became Pharaoh

Hatshepsut was the longest reigning female pharaoh. Under her reign, Egypt prospered. Known as “The Woman Who Was King,” the Egyptian economy flourished during her time as pharaoh. She directed the...
Representation of a seer or prophetess.
10 October, 2020 - 02:01 dhwty

The 17th Century Seer, Janet Douglas: Being A Gifted Child Isn’t Always A Good Thing

Janet Douglas was a 17th century Scottish teenager reputed to have a paranormal gift known as ‘Second Sight.’ She should not be confused was another well-known Janet Douglas, a Scottish noblewoman...
10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome
8 October, 2020 - 17:58 Saurav Ranjan Datta

10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome

Rome, this very name conjures up images of an ancient empire so vast that experts from different ages have been spellbound by the unprecedented magnanimity of its reaches. Ancient Rome defined the...
Left: St Januarius’ blood being examined in Naples. Credit: The Catholic Herald. Right: An early portrait of Saint Januarius. Note the two blood ampoules in the lower left corner. (Louis Finson / Public domain)
4 October, 2020 - 21:55 dhwty

The Blood of Saint Januarius and The Miracle of Liquefaction

Saint Januarius is a saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church . He is the patron saint of Naples but is best-known for a miracle that happens several times each year – the liquefaction of what is...
‘Anne Boleyn in the Tower’ by Édouard Cibot. (Public Domain)
4 October, 2020 - 13:58 dhwty

What Happened to Anne Boleyn’s Heart?

Anne Boleyn is arguably one of the most famous women of the Tudor period. She was the second, and most notorious, wife of Henry VIII (whether she deserves her reputation, though, is a matter of...
The Historic Tale of a Huge Crystal Ball and a Qing Dynasty Empress
30 September, 2020 - 14:01 dhwty

The Historic Tale of a Huge Crystal Ball and a Qing Dynasty Empress

The Dowager Empress Chinese crystal ball (or crystal sphere) is an unusual and valuable artifact believed to have belonged to Empress Dowager Cixi, the de facto ruler of China in the last decades of...
Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare?
23 September, 2020 - 22:01 Gloria Moss

Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare?

Doctors the world over take the Hippocratic oath swearing to do no harm to patients. In doing this, to quote the words of the oath itself, they “call upon Apollo the physician and Asclepius, Hygeia...
Was Napoleon’s penis his biggest secret? Source: denissimonov / Adobe Stock
18 September, 2020 - 21:57 ashley cowie

The Journey of Napoleon’s Penis: Here’s the Long and the Short of It

Perhaps the only thing more satisfying than a “big” story is one where celebrity and bizarre personal details combine to create an even bigger story. This is certainly true in the fascinating and...

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