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History

From the powerful civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, to the fearsome yet sophisticated society of the Vikings, the ancient world was a surprising and challenging place. Here we feature some of the most seminal and influential events and people throughout history, that have helped shape the world we know today.

How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial
25 March, 2021 - 14:00 B. B. Wagner

How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial

On January 17 th , 1569, the simple, unwed house servant Agnes Bowker of Market Harborough, England, was in the throes of giving birth to a secret child. By her side were the midwives Margaret Roose...
Ancient Chinese And South Asian Flights Of Fancy
25 March, 2021 - 01:56 Dr. Benjamin B....

Ancient Chinese And South Asian Flights Of Fancy

It may not be surprising that early cultures pondered the wonder of flight: people in most parts of the world could see birds, bats, and insects flying about, and this likely inspired a great sense...
Aethelthryth: The Extraordinary Medieval Virgin Queen and Saint
23 March, 2021 - 18:01 Meagan Dickerson

Aethelthryth: The Extraordinary Medieval Virgin Queen and Saint

It’s a name most people have never heard of and even fewer can pronounce, but St Aethelthryth of Ely is one of England’s most fascinating saints whose name has survived throughout the centuries and...
The House of Borgia is depicted here as “A glass of wine with Cesare Borgia,” a painting that clearly shows the wealth and power (church power) of this illustrious and infamous family.
23 March, 2021 - 14:27 dhwty

The House of Borgia: Family Of Great Renown, Wealth And Corruption

The House of Borgia was a noble family that rose to prominence during the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Originally from Spain, the family established itself in Italy, where they played an important role...
Psychology
22 March, 2021 - 23:39 jim willis

Panconsciousness: A Quantum Leap To Ancestor-Simulation-Program

Panpsychism holds that the universe is a web of consciousness – an empty stage in which everything that exists has somehow come into being in order to act out the great drama of life. Panpsychism may...
A witch or a woman in a dark forest? Witch pricking was used for centuries to falsely prove a woman (or a man) was a witch!
22 March, 2021 - 14:04 Aleksa Vučković

Witch Pricking And The Devil’s Mark

A witch or not? Guilty or innocent? Witch hunting was all the craze in the late medieval period and onwards in Europe and involved some rather peculiar practices. Witch hunters of all kinds emerged...
Anna Hyatt Huntington's El Cid statue at Audubon Terrace in front of the Hispanic Society Library in New York City. Source: Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0
21 March, 2021 - 21:51 dhwty

El Cid: Christian Champion or Mercenary for the Moors?

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, more commonly known as El Cid, was an 11 th century Spanish knight, military leader and mercenary. This larger-than-life-figure is celebrated as a champion of Christianity...
A Farmer with a drink.
21 March, 2021 - 14:01 Alicia McDermott

Switchel: The Energy Drink of Colonial America

Before Americans had sports drinks, switchel was the beverage of choice for rehydration. Also known as haymaker’s punch, harvest drink, harvest beer, and swanky, this is a refreshing drink that was...
Hector of Troy: The Battle for Peace and the Wrath of Achilles
20 March, 2021 - 13:55 dhwty

Hector of Troy: The Battle for Peace and the Wrath of Achilles

Homer’s epic Illiad tells the mythical story of the legendary 10-year Trojan War between the Trojans and the Greeks, which erupted after the beautiful Helen, wife of King Menelaus, was taken by Paris...
The Great Inca Emperor Pachacuti: The Famous “Earth Shaker” Of Peru
19 March, 2021 - 17:45 Aleksa Vučković

The Great Inca Emperor Pachacuti: The Famous “Earth Shaker” Of Peru

Embarking on the journey of establishing your very own empire is without a doubt a hefty and daunting task. But for the famous Inca ruler Pachacuti, it was a fated endeavor. Through ruthless conquest...
Ubiquitous Ancient Education: Training Young Minds And Bodies
19 March, 2021 - 16:38 MartiniF

Ubiquitous Ancient Education: Training Young Minds And Bodies

What was school like in the ancient world? In the pre-covid-age, the enduring general image of attending school for most pupils is one of learning in a classroom with a group of fellow students with...
The Afro-Bolivians And Their Monarchy In Bolivia: An Enigmatic Kingdom
18 March, 2021 - 13:59 Aleksa Vučković

The Afro-Bolivians And Their Monarchy In Bolivia: An Enigmatic Kingdom

Bolivia is a land full of wonders and little-known facts. The majestic nature of the mountainous Andes and the adjacent tropical forests, and the illustrious capital city of La Paz, nestled high...
Rome’s African Emperor: Septimius Severus and the Scottish Invasion
18 March, 2021 - 00:57 John S. Richardson

Rome’s African Emperor: Septimius Severus and the Scottish Invasion

The Libyan-born Septimius Severus has gone down in history as the first African Emperor of Rome . With a thirst for power, he ruled the Roman Empire almost 2,000 years ago, declaring himself Emperor...
The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat, John Reinhard Weguelin, 1886 ( Public Domain )
17 March, 2021 - 18:15 Alessandra Filiaci

Therapies, Pseudo-Science And Bizarre Remedies Of Egyptian Medicine

Everything known about ancient Egyptian medicine comes from four different types of sources: works of art, the writings of ancient historians, palaeopathology and papyri. Medical papyri can be...
Saint Patrick: When the True Story is More Exciting than the Legend
17 March, 2021 - 13:06 Joanna Gillan

Saint Patrick: When the True Story is More Exciting than the Legend

The 17th March marks Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, a cultural and religious holiday celebrated every year in Ireland and by Irish communities around the world. The celebration...
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the epitome of the rags to riches possibilities for Japanese samurai. Source: Dusan Kostic / Adobe Stock
16 March, 2021 - 13:58 Aleksa Vučković

Tokugawa Ieyasu: Most Powerful Shogun and Great Unifier of Japan

Throughout the medieval history of Japan, it was the shoguns that held the real power in the country. As powerful military dictators, they were the de facto rulers of Japan, subordinate only to the...
José de Madrazo's painting of the death of Viriathus (Public Domain)
15 March, 2021 - 20:48 tom hamilton

The Hillforts Of Iberia: Ruins Of Proto-Celtic Tribes Who Resisted The Romans

Dotted like an ancient matrix in western Iberia are hillforts that once belonged to the ancient Celtic peoples of Iberia . Some of these forts were dismantled, others left untouched, but they were...
Elusive Mount Sinai, Hidden In Plain Site In Egypt
12 March, 2021 - 20:57 ralph ellis

Elusive Mount Sinai, Hidden In Plain Site In Egypt

Many locations have been proposed for the biblical Mount Sinai. One of the latest sites is Jebel Madhbah near Petra, and while this and the classical site for Mount Sinai are all possibilities, there...
Romanos IV Diogenes: An Ambitious Byzantine Emperor Unjustly Deposed?
10 March, 2021 - 22:03 Aleksa Vučković

Romanos IV Diogenes: An Ambitious Byzantine Emperor Unjustly Deposed?

Opportunism, ambition, intrigues - these were aspects that were always present at the courts of great empires. Rulers rose to power following these rules of the game, and they were often the reasons...
The Cinder-Tree: Origins Of The World’s Most Famous Fairy Tale Cinderella
10 March, 2021 - 17:55 Dr John K Lundwall

The Cinder-Tree: Origins Of The World’s Most Famous Fairy Tale Cinderella

The Cinderella tale common in most households is one of the most pervasive narratives in human culture and across global geography. Types of this story exist as far back as 2000 BC in the Sumerian...
Cassander: Ruthless Macedon King in the Shadow of Alexander the Great
9 March, 2021 - 18:08 dhwty

Cassander: Ruthless Macedon King in the Shadow of Alexander the Great

Cassander was a King of Macedon who lived during the 4 th century BC. He was a son of Antipater, one of Alexander the Great’s generals. During Alexander’s campaign against the Achaemenids in the East...
Killer Queens: 5 of Ancient History’s Most Outstanding Female Rulers
9 March, 2021 - 00:47 ancient origins

Killer Queens: 5 of Ancient History’s Most Outstanding Female Rulers

True leadership knows no gender and despite societal condemnation or restrictions of the gods, powerful women have risen to the challenge and stepped up to take the reins of governance firmly in...
8 March, 2021 - 20:04 Aaronne Colagrossi

Buccaneers’ Brimstone, Booty, Brotherhood and Betel Nut

The goal of a pirate of the West Indies was to capture his prey, with as little damage as possible, so that he could resell the vessel, including its cargo and crew. Therefore generally, the...
Ready for the Afterlife: The Mummification Process in Ancient Egypt
8 March, 2021 - 18:04 Aleksa Vučković

Ready for the Afterlife: The Mummification Process in Ancient Egypt

When it comes to ancient Egypt and its long lasting and influential civilization, plenty of its unique characteristics can seem peculiar and otherworldly. Sure, it is no secret that ancient Egypt was...

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