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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.

A depiction of Ivar and Ubba setting forth to avenge their father, Loðbrók, as it appears on folio 47v of British Library Harley 2278. Source: Public Domain
9 February, 2024 - 20:09 Robbie Mitchell

The Great Heathen Army and the Truth about Ivar the Boneless (Video)

In the realm of Viking lore, Ivar the Boneless emerges as a formidable, if mysterious, figure. Born to Ragnar Lothbrok and Aslaug, Ivar led the infamous Great Heathen Army during the Viking Age. The...
La Noche triste (the sad night). Source: Public Domain
8 February, 2024 - 23:11 Robbie Mitchell

The Hunt for Montezuma’s Stolen Aztec Treasure (Video)

In November 1519, the formidable Aztec king, Montezuma , ruled over a flourishing empire at its pinnacle. His empire, comprising 500 city-states and nearly 6 million people, centered on the...
Representational image of a Red Turban warrior. Source: Generated with Adobe Firefly
8 February, 2024 - 16:52 Aleksa Vučković

The Revolutionary Red Turban Rebellion: When Peasants Take Up Arms

The Red Turban Rebellion, which took place from 1351 to 1368, was a pivotal event in Chinese history, marking the decline of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and the rise of the native Ming Dynasty. This...
Caves and rock shelters dot the mountains in the northwestern highlands of Thailand. Over 40 in Mae Hong Son province contain wooden coffins on stilts, dating back 1,000 - 2,300 years. Source: © Selina Carlhoff/ Max Planck Society
8 February, 2024 - 14:02 ancient-origins

DNA Elucidates Thailand's Iron Age ‘Log Coffin Culture’

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology A mortuary practice known as ‘Log Coffin culture’ characterizes the Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha in northwestern Thailand. Between 2,300 and 1,...
The bone, black henbane seeds and tar plug used to keep it sealed. Source: BIAC Consult
8 February, 2024 - 00:00 Nathan Falde

For Pain or Pleasure? Poisonous Plant Henbane Used by the Romans

While digging at the site of a rural, first-century AD Roman settlement in Houten-Castellum in the Netherlands, archaeologists uncovered a most unusual artifact. Inside a hollowed-out animal bone,...
Reenactment of two Armored Medieval Knights Fighting with Swords. Source: Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock
7 February, 2024 - 20:01 Robbie Mitchell

What a Medieval Duel Really Looked Like (Video)

In medieval Europe , justice was often sought through grim ordeals, and the judicial duel was a stark example. The murder of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, triggered a brutal confrontation...
Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, China . Source: rabbit75_fot/Adobe Stock
7 February, 2024 - 13:53 Aleksa Vučković

Guardians of History: How the Dazu Rock Carvings Captivate the World

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings located in the Dazu District of Chongqing, China. These carvings date back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) and the...
Edward IV of England & Lancastrian Fugitives at Tewkesbury Abbey. Source: Public Domain
6 February, 2024 - 20:16 Robbie Mitchell

Top Five Worst Rebellions Under the Tudor Regime (Video)

The Tudor era , spanning 118 years, emerged from the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses . Henry VII's victory at Bosworth in 1485 secured his tenuous claim to the throne, symbolized by the Tudor Rose...
A mass grave of over 50 headless Vikings, known as the headless Vikings of Dorset. Source: Simon Fraser University / CC BY 2.0
6 February, 2024 - 14:15 mrreese

Unraveling the Mystery of the Headless Vikings of Dorset

In June 2009, archaeologists made a shocking discovery in the seaside town of Weymouth in Dorset, England. While excavating in preparation for the anticipated Weymouth Relief Road, archaeologists...
Photograph of the Pocahontas statue in Historic Jamestown, Virginia, USA. Source: I, Rolfmueller/CC BY-SA 3.0
5 February, 2024 - 23:54 Robbie Mitchell

The Real Pocahontas: Tragedy Beneath the Jamestown Sky (Video)

The historical narrative of Pocahontas , popularized through the writings of English explorer John Smith, presents a complex and contested tale. Smith, a key figure in Jamestown's early days,...
Bas relief at Nagsh-e-rostam showing the investiture of Ardashir I, Province du Fars, Iran. Source: Fabienkhan/CC BY-SA 2.5
5 February, 2024 - 20:10 Robbie Mitchell

The Parthian Empire: Rome’s Greatest Enemy (Video)

The Parthian Empire, successor to the Persian legacy, emerged in 238 BC, springing from the Parni tribe's conquest of Parthia in modern-day northeastern Iran. Although initially subdued by the...
Representative image of a soldier from the Abbasid Caliphate. Source: Harry / Adobe Stock
5 February, 2024 - 13:33 Robbie Mitchell

From Splendor to Ruin: The Epic Tale of the Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate was an Arabic dynasty that ruled over much of the Muslim world for over 500 years. It rose from bloody beginnings to become the center of the Muslim world during the Islamic...
Divination was an important aspect of everyday life in ancient Mesopotamia. Source: breakermaximus / Adobe Stock
4 February, 2024 - 16:37 Aleksa Vučković

Divination and Omens in Mesopotamian Society

Ancient civilizations, throughout history, depended on the skill and intricacy of their diviners. Divination is the method of ritually foreseeing the future and the outcome of big events. In this way...
The Salem Witch Trials: "Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692" by Thomkins H. Matteson. Source: Public domain
3 February, 2024 - 22:06 mrreese

Salem Witch Trial Hysteria and the Courageous Stance of Giles Corey

In Spring of 1692, a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, accused others in their village of practicing witchcraft, unleashing a hysteria that caused the deaths of at least 24 people...
Mulan as depicted in the album Gathering Gems of Beauty (Qing dynasty, 18th century). Source: Public Domain
3 February, 2024 - 19:41 Robbie Mitchell

Beyond Disney: The True History of Mulan (Video)

The rich history behind Mulan , beyond Disney's cinematic adaptations, spans over 1,500 years. Originating as an ancient Chinese ballad during the late Northern Wei Dynasty, the tale likely draws...
Ancient bas-relief on grave stele in Kerameikos in Athens, Greece depicting two wrestlers in action. Source: National Archaeological Museum of Athens/ CC BY-SA 2.0 DE
1 February, 2024 - 23:54 ancient-origins

From Ancient Greece to Now: the Bravado of Athletes Transcends Centuries

Peter J. Miller /The Conversation “I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I was really the greatest.” This quote...
Statue of Alexander the Great at Thessaloniki, Greece, Right: Facade of Philip II of Macedon tomb in Vergina, Greece. Source: YK/Adobe Stock, Public Domain
1 February, 2024 - 16:55 Sahir

Alexander the Great’s Family Identities Confirmed at Vergina Tumulus

Where is Alexander the Great buried? This mystery, that has baffled historians and devotees of the legendary conqueror, might be closer to an answer, as a group of archaeologists found the occupants...
1700, Cellarius Map of Asia, Europe and Africa according to Strabo. (Right) Drawing of Strabo. Source: PicturePast/Adobe Stock, Public Domain
1 February, 2024 - 13:44 Robbie Mitchell

Strabo's Geographica: A Grand Tour of the Ancient World

Strabo, a prominent Greek geographer, historian, and philosopher born around 64 BC, left an undeniable mark on ancient geography with his magnum opus, " Geographica ." This monumental work,...
A representation of Emperor Nero, thoughtfully playing a lyre in a lavish Roman garden. Source: EOL STUDIOS/Adobe Stock
31 January, 2024 - 20:00 Robbie Mitchell

The Mad Emperor - Why Did Nero Let Rome Burn? (Video)

Nero's reign as Roman Emperor, marked by his ascent to power at a young age, was characterized by a complex web of familial ambition, political maneuvering, and personal indulgence. Born into a...
Representational image of Ashoka the Great. Source: Luke/Adobe Stock
30 January, 2024 - 13:48 Cecilia Bogaard

Shocked by His Own Brutality, Ashoka Converted to Buddhism

One of the most remarkable transformations in history unfolded during the life of Ashoka the Great, a ruler who transitioned from a brutal conqueror of a vast empire to a benevolent emperor guided by...
A banquet in Nero’s palace, by Ulpiano Checa y Sanz. Source: Public domain
30 January, 2024 - 00:00 Joanna Gillan

Emperor Nero’s Legendary Revolving Dining Room Really Existed

While the extravagant palace of Emperor Nero , the Domus Aurea—which boasted some 300 rooms covered in dazzling polished white marble—was first rediscovered during the Renaissance, in 2009 a team of...
Portrait of medieval bearded pirate holding sword and gun. Source: Oulaphone/Adobe Stock
29 January, 2024 - 20:00 Robbie Mitchell

The Horrifying Torture Methods Used By Pirates… (Video)

In the grim era of the 1600s, humanity bore witness to a dark chapter marked by massacres, persecution, and cruelty. The so-called Golden Age of Piracy unfolded amid this brutality, with pirates...
The last battle of the Ostrogoths and the end of their influence was fought on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in the Battle of Mons Lactarius. Painting from 1890, by Alexander Zick. Source: Captain Blood/ Public domain
28 January, 2024 - 19:52 Robbie Mitchell

Shaping European History- What Made the Goths Unique (Video)

The Goths , pioneers in military strategy, left an indelible mark on European history. Introducing cavalry to warfare, they confronted the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD, a pivotal...
Painting by Paul Barbotti (1821-1867), depicting the scene of Cicero as he discovers the tomb of Archimedes forgotten by the Syracusans. Source: Public Domain
28 January, 2024 - 17:00 dhwty

Cicero and the Forgotten Tomb of Archimedes

The Romans were great admirers of the Greeks and their civilization. The emperor Nero, for instance, was a Philhellene who travelled extensively around Greece and even gave a huge tax-exemption to...

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