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Persia

William Blake's ‘The Madness of Nebchuadnezzar’: Does the Book of Daniel confuse Nebchuadnezzar II with Nabonidus? Source: New World Encyclopedia/CC-BY-SA 3.0

The Lost Years of Nabonidus, Last King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BC. He took the throne after the assassination of the boy-king Labashi-Marduk, who was murdered in a conspiracy only...
AI image of a Persian warrior leader in the desert. Source: Art Gallery/Adobe Stock

The History of Xerxes I: The Great King of the Persian Empire (Video)

Xerxes I , a formidable figure in the annals of Persian history, ascended to the throne amid complex familial dynamics. Born in 515 BC to Darius the Great and Atosa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great,...
Yakhchal cooling device in Kashan, Iran. Source: knovakov / Adobe Stock.

The Yakhchāl: Ancient Ice-Making Machines in the Desert (Video)

In the arid expanses of the Persian desert , an ingenious ancient technology known as the Yakhchāl has been discovered, revealing a sophisticated approach to ice-making dating back to 400 BC. These...
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown game hero, Sargon. 	Source: Ubisoft

The New Prince of Persia Game is Announced. How Does the History Stack Up?

The popular, but almost archaic Prince of Persia video game franchise is back, with a new game, and a new hero on the scene. So what’s the new backstory, who is this new hero, and is there any basis...
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...
Ruler overlooking his empire. Source: Amir / Adobe Stock.

Empire Builders: Ancient Leaders Who Shaped History (Video)

Ancient history is replete with remarkable leaders who played pivotal roles in the expansion and growth of civilizations across the globe. Among them, Hammurabi , the sixth king of Babylon, left an...
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...
Astrolabe tile fragments recovered at Lambsar castle. Source: ILNA / Tehran Times

Astrolabe Tile Fragments Recovered from the Lambsar Castle of the Hashshasins

Lambsar Castle, representing the gargantuan castle in the popular ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise, has yielded stunning astrolabe tile fragments during excavations. Located in the Central Alburz...
Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Ironically, Xenophon’s Cyropaedia, written around 370 BC, a narrative describing the education of the ideal ruler centred on Cyrus the Great founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty, was a great inspiration...
The Hashshashins were a military group of trained fedayeen fighters, also known as the Order of Assassins. Source: warmtail / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Hashshashins, the Original Assassins of Persia

When it comes to legends, none is quite as moviesque as that of the Hashshashins, who in the Middle Ages inspired fear in the hearts of leaders in the Middle East. Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed the Old Man...
The fire temple of Baku, c. 1860. Hindus, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians have worshipped here. Source: Public domain

Zoroastrianism: 4000 Years of Faith, Fire and the Battle Between Good and Evil

The origins of Zoroastrianism can be traced back to nearly 4,000 years ago. It was the first monotheistic faith in the world and even Persia’s official religion from 600 BC to 650 AD. And it still...
Folio from an Arabic manuscript of Dioscorides, De materia medica, 1229 (Public Domain)

Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi: Islam's Medical Genius

Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al Razi is not a familiar name to most in the English-speaking world. But he was one of the most notable persons in the history of medicine. He was a renowned Persian...
Looking up inside a Yakhchal

Ancient Advanced Technology: 2,400-Year-Old Yakhchals Kept Ice in the Desert

The ancients were cleverer than some people today assume. They didn’t have rockets or electricity, at least no indisputable proof has been found of such technologies, but they did come up with...
Gorgan Wall Work Reveals Minutiae of 7th Century Sasanian Empire

Gorgan Wall Work Reveals Minutiae of 7th Century Sasanian Empire

Excavations have been ongoing on at the Sasanian Empire’s Great Wall of Gorgan, a 125-mile (200-kilometer) long defensive fortification built across Golestan Province in northern Iran in the fifth...
Ostracism: From Divine Punishment to Political Maneuvers

Ostracism: From Divine Punishment to Political Maneuvers

As the world’s powers perpetually rise and fall, exile and banishment have forever been ubiquitous elements of human history. Exile and ostracism have afflicted individuals and nations, inspiring...
The Tamam Shud Case is re-opening

The Tamam Shud Enigma: Australian Cold Case with Ancient Persian Connection Re-Opens!

On December 1, 1948, authorities were called to Somerton beach in Adelaide, South Australia. A dead body had been found. Little did police realize they were about to encounter what is now considered...
The Faravahar: The Ancient Zoroastrian Symbol of Iran

The Faravahar: The Ancient Zoroastrian Symbol of Iran

The Faravahar is arguably the best-known symbol of the Persian Zoroastrian faith. This symbol consists of a winged disc with a man emerging from it. The man is shown holding a ring. Whilst the symbol...
10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome

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...
Mithras and the bull, fresco from Temple of Mithras, Marino, Italy, dated 2nd century AD.    Source: Public Domain

Mithras, the Persian God Championed by the Roman Army

Mithras the god originated in the east, in Persia (modern day Iran) where he was first worshipped. When soldiers of the Roman Empire came back to the West they brought this cult with them and in time...
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi                   Source:  jura-taranik / Adobe Stock

Humayun's Tomb, the Mughal Mausoleum That Changed India’s Architecture

Mughal Emperor Humayun ruled over vast territory in Asia from 1530 until he was ousted in 1540. With the aid of the Safavid, the ruling Persian dynasty, he regained his lands in 1556. Humayun was...
Representation of a horse-mounted Parthian warrior in the sunset.    Source: mehmetcan / Adobe stock

Parthian Warrior Grave Accidently Unearthed During COVID-19 Burial

An ancient skeleton and burial artifacts of a Parthian warrior have been unearthed in Iran while excavators buried COVID-19 victims. The skeleton and collection of ancient artifacts were discovered...
Lion hunt. Mosaic from Pella (ancient Macedonia), late 4th century BC, depicting Alexander the Great and Craterus. Housed in the Pella Museum. Image: Public Domain

Alexander the Great: God of Youth and Ambition?

Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), was a Macedonian king who ruled over an expansive empire that reached from Greece to the Gandharan regions of Pakistan...
Mithra slaying the bull.

The Cult of Mithra: Sacred Temples, and Vedic Legends, and Ancient Armenian Understanding

Mithra was the god of light, purity, goodness, and truth and occupied an important place in the faith of the ancient Aryans. The Spread of Mithra There are various opinions on the spread of the...
Main: Cui Shi’s tomb with animal bones revealing evidence of the ancient Chinese nobles playing donkey polo. Inset: A skull of one of Cui Shi’s donkeys.           Source: J. Yang &  S. Hu / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Excavation of Elite’s Tomb in China Reveals Sport of Donkey Polo

A new study has revealed for the first time that elite women in ancient China played donkey polo. The remains of donkeys from an elite woman’s tomb indicate that the animal was used for more than...

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