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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Byzantines

Anachronistic painting by Piero della Francesca of the Battle of Nineveh (627) between Heraclius' Byzantine army and the Sasanians under Khosrow II, which was pretty much the end of the Byzantine–Sasanian War.		Source: Piero della Francesca / Public domain

The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 AD and the Rise of the Muslims

The Byzantines and Sasanians were rival powers who fought each other for supremacy in the Middle East. Although the conflict between the two powers began during the 6th century AD, it is in fact a...
Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, marries Agilulf, duke of Turin, in a painting by Fratelli Zavattari. Source: Fratelli Zavattari / Public domain

The Lombards: The “Barbaric” Germanic Warriors Who Changed Italy

As the Roman Empire crumbled, the history of the ancient world was undoubtedly marked and shaped by more than one powerful Germanic tribe. From their oldest roots, they developed into iconic ethnic...
A baroque carved relief (at the Church of Saint Benedict in Venice, Italy) from the life of St. Benedict showing Totila, the king of Ostrogoths, on his knees. During the invasion of Italy, Totila ordered a general to wear his kingly robes to see whether St. Benedict would discover the truth. Immediately Benedict detected the impersonation. Impressed, Totila came to pay his respects to the man of the cloth. Totila was the leader of the Ostrogoths in the Third Siege of Rome. Source: Renáta Sedmáková / Adobe S

The Third Ostrogothic Siege of Rome: Byzantine Armies Battle the Ostrogoths

The Third Ostrogothic Siege of Rome occurred in 549-550 AD and was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Ostrogoths. The former was in control of the city, whilst the latter tried to seize the...
Nora, the Ancient Sardinian Trading Town that Everyone Wanted

Nora, the Ancient Sardinian Trading Town that Everyone Wanted

Nora is arguably the first town ever built on the island of Sardinia, one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Their rich and remarkable history includes occupation by Phoenicians,...