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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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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.

Ivan the Terrible admiring his sixth wife, Vasilisa Melentyeva.  Source: Public Domain

The Eight Wives of Ivan the Terrible and Their Horrific Fate (Video)

Ivan the Terrible , infamous for his tyrannical rule over Russia , had a complex romantic history with eight wives, each facing distinct and often tragic fates. Anastasia Romanova, his first wife,...
Susanna and the Elders, by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1610. Source: Public domain

Artemisia Gentileschi Used Art To Avenge Her Rape

Since the 1970s, the work of Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi has seen a surge in popularity due to her unique perspective as a female artist of the 17th century. Artemisia Gentileschi...
An ancient Roman gladiator. Source: Luis Louro /Adobe Stock

The Reality of Gladiator Life and Their Training (Video)

In the world of gladiators , once perceived as either heroic warriors or despised villains, their existence is marked by brutality and ritualized training rather than the romanticized notions of...
Image of books and family tree diagrams, tracing surname origins. Source: Bazoom

How to Sleuth Your Ancestral History From Your Surname

Have you ever wondered where your last name comes from or what hidden stories it might hold? Embarking on a surname search journey can be both enlightening and engaging. With curiosity and clever...
The Gracchi, by Jean-Baptiste Claude Eugène Guillaume (19th century). Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Source: Mary Harrsch/ CC BY NC-SA 2.0

The Gracchi: How Two Brothers Altered the Course of Roman Politics

The Late Republic was in ruins. Civil war was common. Violence broke out between political factions. Bloody slave revolts erupted. As Rome’s old republican institutions imploded, the Republic began...
Detail of Narmer smiting an enemy, portrayed on the Narmer Palette, Nekhen, Egypt.	Source: Public Domain

Narmer's Reign: The Epic Beginnings of Ancient Egypt (Video)

In the 31st century BC, Narmer , an ambitious king of Upper Egypt, orchestrated a pivotal conquest, uniting both Upper and Lower Egypt and establishing himself as the first ruler of the combined...
AI generated image of Charlemagne Charles the Great king. Source: dan/Adobe Stock

Charlemagne: How He Changed History Forever (Video)

Charlemagne , also known as Charles the Great, stands as a pivotal figure in European history, reshaping the fragmented Western and Central Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Born...
Left; the reconstruction imae of Feb=nsatantion Man. Right; The first evidence of Roman-British crucifixion has been found in Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire, England. The heel of a man found with an iron nail pounded through his heel bone was clear evidence of crucifixion. Source: Left; Impossible Factual/BBC, Right; Albion Archaeology

Face of the Only Victim of Roman Crucifixion Found in Britain is Revealed

Experts have successfully reconstructed the face of a man who was a victim of Roman crucifixion, a discovery hailed as "almost unique" by Corinne Duhig, a bone specialist from Cambridge University...
Coin of Seleucos I, likely depicting a posthumous portrait of Alexander the Great. Source: I, PHGCOM/ CC BY-SA 3.0

After Alexander- The Rise and Fall of the Seleucids (Video)

The demise of the Seleucid Empire unfolds as a consequence of the intricate power struggles following Alexander the Great's death. After Alexander's demise in 323 BC, his vast empire, extending from...
Attila the Hun’s death on his wedding night. Source: Public Domain

Disastrous Historical Hitches: 8 Worst Royal Wedding Nights in History

Your wedding is meant to be one of the most special nights of your life. And your wedding night, well, that should be one of the most exciting. Of course, that’s not always the case. Some of history’...
Representation of betrayal, backstabbing. Source: wrukolakas/Adobe Stock

Historical Backstabs That Backfired Big Time (Video)

Historically, betrayals have often been met with unexpected consequences. The pursuit of power and revenge has led to the downfall of even the most cunning conspirators . One such instance occurred...
Painting of a Renaissance banquet, by Władysław Bakałowicz. Source. Public Domain

The Most Decadent Banquets in History (Video)

Indulging in extravagant feasts throughout history, these banquets were grand spectacles of excess and luxury. In 1873, a German businessman orchestrated a lavish gathering in New York, featuring a...
Representational image of a medieval troubadour. Source: artemstepanov / Adobe Stock

The Chivalrous Melodies and Colorful Lives of the Medieval Troubadours

From the 11th to 14th centuries, medieval Europe was home to a class of poet-musicians known as troubadours. They started out in Occitania in the 11th century before spreading across much of the...
7th drawing from the first roll of the Illustrated Account of the Mongol invasion of Japan. Source: Public Domain

How the Samurai Defended Against the Mongols (Video)

In the face of Mongol invasions during the Middle Ages, the Kamakura Bakufu and their samurai demonstrated strategic prowess in defending Japan . Often overshadowed by tales of typhoons and samurai...
A famous assassin from history, an agent of the Assassins (left, in white turban) fatally stabs Nizam al-Mulk, a Seljuk vizier, in 1092 AD. (14th-century AD manuscript) Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul.	 Source: Public Domain

7 Famous Deadly Assassins From History and What Drove Them

In the annals of history, there exist shadowy figures and clandestine groups whose lethal skills and cunning tactics have left an indelible mark on the world. These ancient assassins and covert...
Spartan King Leonidas I and his warriors at Thermopylae. Source: Hui/Adobe Stock

Salamis 480 BC: The Battle for Greece (Video)

In 480 BC, King Xerxes led the mighty Persian Empire to punish Greek city-states for meddling in his affairs. The Greeks, forming a coalition of 31 states, strategically planned their defense at the...
Generic image of flatlands. Source: Dmitry/Adobe Stock

Doggerland: Did a Tsunami Swallow Part of Europe? (Video)

In 1931, Pilgrim Lockwood's discovery of an antler harpoon in the North Sea unveiled the existence of a submerged land, Doggerland , connecting Britain to Europe. This region, traversed by...
The Man in the Iron Mask. Source: Igor Normann / Adobe Stock

The True Story of the Man in the Iron Mask

L'Homme au Masque de Fer (the French for “The Man in the Iron Mask”) is the name given to a prisoner arrested in about 1669 and condemned to the cruel fate of having his head clamped within an iron...
Old photo of one of the tombs in the Nubian cemetery discovered in 1908. 	Source: University of Manchester

Charles II - The King With the Wilder Love Life Than Henry VIII (Video)

Charles II of England, known as the Merry Monarch, led a notorious love life, surpassing even Henry VIII in scandalous affairs. Born in 1630, Charles spent his early years in exile due to his father'...
AI portrait of fearless powerful warrior Viking man with blood marks. Source: Asiri/Adobe Stock

The Vikings Had a Justice System Based On Blood Feuds (Video)

The Icelandic Vikings of the Middle Ages had a justice system centered on blood feuds , in stark contrast to modern legal proceedings. Unlike today's courtroom dramas with attorneys and evidence,...
Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s painting: The Triumph of Death, depicting the results of a pandemic. Source: Public Domain

The Most Destructive Pandemics and Epidemics in Human History (Video)

The history of humanity is marked by devastating pandemics and epidemics that have left indelible scars on societies. These widespread outbreaks, such as the Plague of Athens in 430 BC and the...
Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God, by Jan Matejko.	Source: Public Domain

The Strange Story of the Grave of Copernicus

Darius von Guttner Sporzynski/The Conversation Nicholas Copernicus was the astronomer who, five centuries ago, explained that Earth revolves around the Sun, rather than vice versa. A true Renaissance...
Barbarian tribes.  Source: Salsabila Ariadina/Adobe Stock

Rethinking Barbarians: Were They Really Savages?

The term "barbarian" has long been associated with images of savagery and brutality, conjuring thoughts of uncivilized societies on the fringes of the ancient world. However, the question arises:...
Scene of cannibalism based on European accounts of expeditions to the Americas from America tertia pars by Theodor de Bry, circa 1592. Source: Public domain

8 Ancient Cultures Practicing Cannibalism Through the Ages

When we think of cannibalism today it usually conjures up images of characters like Hannibal Lecter. In reality, many cultures practiced cannibalism throughout history. Therefore, while it may be a...

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