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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.

African queen
17 March, 2019 - 17:54 dhwty

Dido of Carthage, Mediterranean Princess Turned African Queen

Dido, known also as Elissa in some sources, is a legendary queen who is credited with the founding of Carthage. The legend of Queen Dido is found in Greek and Roman sources, the best-known of which...
Representative image of a cloaked druid in a forest.
16 March, 2019 - 17:41 Jack Wilkin

Stories of the Druids Abound, But What is the Hard Archaeological Evidence?

Druid comes from the Old Irish word druí meaning sorcerer. And that is how most people today think of the druids, as mysterious wizards enveloped in the world of magic and ritual. But there is much...
exorcism
15 March, 2019 - 15:37 Dr. Heather Lynn

Demonic Exorcisms in the Temple Schools of Mesopotamia

In the temple-schools of Mesopotamia , students learned exorcism rituals, how to mix healing atonements, perform astrology, and how to cure demonic possession. While these skills may seem archaic now...
Sir Henry Morgan, Capture of Panama, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes.
15 March, 2019 - 14:37 ashley cowie

Hunting for Captain Morgan’s Lost Inca Gold

Native mythology on San Andrés talks of the privateer Captain Henry Morgan burying a vast treasure in a sea cave and in December 2018, after two years of researching the life and times of Captain...
Queen Scotia was the daughter of an Egyptian Pharaoh and died in the battle of Sliabh Mish between the Celtic Milesians and the Tuatha Dé Danann.
15 March, 2019 - 12:53 Sarah P Young

Quest for the Grave of Scotia, the Pharaoh’s Daughter Who Founded Scotland and Ireland

A short distance from the bustling Irish town of Tralee in County Kerry there is an otherworldly looking glen which is known as Scotia’s Grave. According to Irish folklore, the glen was the location...
Spartan warrior.
14 March, 2019 - 22:00 Caleb Strom

Spartan Soldier From Birth: Growing Up In A City of Warriors

The Greek city-state of Sparta is famous for being a city of soldiers. Its entire society was oriented towards warfare. The Spartan phalanxes were unstoppable on land and known for their...
Commandaria wine was served at King Richard’s wedding in Cyprus. He proclaimed that it was “the wine of kings and the king of wines”.
14 March, 2019 - 17:51 Caleb Strom

Commandaria: The Oldest Wine in Production, Praised By Homer, and Richard the Lionheart's "King of Wines"

The first evidence of wine making is from the Caucasus Mountains bordering Eastern Europe and Western Asia around 6000 BC. From there it spread throughout the ancient Near East to gradually become...
Carlisle Cursing Stone, carved in 2000 using a 16th century curse.
13 March, 2019 - 22:09 Sarah P Young

Cursing Stones of Ireland: When Christianity and Pagans Pooled Their Sacred Water

Ireland is a country famed for its spectacular scenery and landscapes. Known to many as the Emerald Isle, the land is characterized by lush and verdant greenery. But the landscape is more than just...
Alchemist Sendivogius (1566–1636) by Jan Matejko, (1867)
13 March, 2019 - 18:58 Charles Christian

The Strange and Sudden Death of Ancient Alchemy

The quest for the Philosopher’s Stone, alchemy, the search for the Elixir of Life and turning base elements into gold, which occupied the minds of many famous ancient scientists such as Isaac Newton...
Doctor and Mrs. Syntax, with a party of friends, experimenting with laughing gas.
11 March, 2019 - 21:55 dhwty

Laughing Gas Parties Were A Big Hit With 19th Century Society

During the 19th century, the members of the British upper class engaged in a peculiar form of entertainment known as laughing gas parties. Such parties involved the inhalation of nitrous oxide (N 2 O...
Colorful Ocean Wave. Sea water in crest shape. Sunset light and beautiful clouds on background
11 March, 2019 - 17:00 MartiniF

Hawaiian Ancient Surfing, the Sport of Gods and Royalty

Water created worlds, bore deities, eliminated pain and purified souls. The sea in particular is an untamable, dangerous, often violent place and considered in many cultures as representing the...
Ur-Shulgi. King Shulgi is credited with the completion of the Great ziggurat of Ur.
11 March, 2019 - 14:00 Carly Silver

The Mighty Deeds of King Shulgi of Ur, Master of Mesopotamian Monarchs

In the early second millennium BC, the city-states of Mesopotamia thrived in the so-called “Ur III period.” Assuming political frameworks previously abandoned in times of chaos, the rulers of the...
Tsali, Cherokee folk hero
10 March, 2019 - 14:11 dhwty

The Sacrifice of Tsali, The Cherokee Folk Hero Who Gave His Life For His People

Tsali was a Cherokee folk hero who sacrificed his life for his people. They were in hiding from the US government who had ordered the removal of the Cherokee from their native lands. Tsali, known...
Portrait of Adolf Frederick of Sweden
9 March, 2019 - 14:01 dhwty

Adolf Frederick: The Swedish King Who Ate Himself to Death

Adolf Frederick was a Swedish king who lived during the 18 th century. Although Adolf Frederick ruled Sweden for almost 20 years, it was unremarkable and nothing of great note took place during his...
Rosslyn Chapel
8 March, 2019 - 18:20 ashley cowie

The Hidden Blueprint in Rosslyn Chapel’s Window of Wonder

Located on a picturesque hilltop six miles south of Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh, is one of the world’s most mysterious and misunderstood buildings - Rosslyn Chapel. This tiny Scottish church...
Sarah Churchill by Charles Jervas
8 March, 2019 - 13:59 ancient-origins

Powerful Female Figures of Britain: The Real Life Women of ‘The Favourite’

Amy Froide / The Conversation One of the challengers at this year’s Oscars was “ The Favourite ,” a film set in the early 18th-century court of British monarch Queen Anne . Focusing on the political...
Matriarchal woman
7 March, 2019 - 19:01 Philip Jamieson

Uncovering the Truth Behind Matriarchal Societies in the Ancient World

A theme common amongst the mythology of ancient cultures is a belief in the existence of a Golden Age , when humans lived uncorrupted, in peace and harmony, experiencing prosperity and societal...
A popular Celtic symbol is the Celtic Cross.
6 March, 2019 - 22:52 valdar

Irish and Celtic Symbols: The True Meanings Behind Signs of Pride and Power

Irish and Celtic symbols reflect ancient beliefs and traditions and were believed to influence lives. The meanings of symbols such as the Claddagh, Crann Bethadh, Triquetra, and Triskelion have lived...
Mudlarking on the exposed foreshore at low spring tide.
6 March, 2019 - 14:00 dhwty

Mudlarking the Thames: How a Riverbed Became the World’s Biggest Archaeological Site

A mudlark is the name given to a person who scavenges in the foreshore of a river for objects that could be sold. This term applies specifically to those operating along the Thames River in London...
The Celts had many female warriors
5 March, 2019 - 23:05 Sarah P Young

Eight Surprising Things You Should Know About the Celts

The Celts were a distinct ethnic group made up of tribes spread across Europe. They shared similar languages, traditions, religions , and cultural practices and were known for their fierceness in...
Crazy Viking face (khosrork / Adobe Stock)
4 March, 2019 - 22:22 Sarah P Young

Eight Harsh But Hilarious Viking Nick Names and How They Came About

Before surnames became commonplace, a method was needed to differentiate between two or more people with the same name. Many surnames in the English language today are a result of this - John Smith,...
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)(Public Domain)
4 March, 2019 - 16:44 MartiniF

Did Blondes Have More Fun in the Ancient World?

In the period of the 1930s to 1950s, Hollywood saw the emergence of many blonde actresses. Epithets such as ‘screen siren’ or ‘cinematic goddess’ were attached to the most popular blonde actresses of...
A pilgrim in the snow (captblack76 / Adobe Stock)
4 March, 2019 - 13:59 Caleb Strom

Challenge Accepted: 6 Months as a Medieval Hermit in Russia

In our crowded modern cities, there are some who wish that they could live by themselves in a remote wilderness area sometime in the past. They yearn for a time when life was, at least supposedly,...
Juana Ines de la Cruz Painting by Mauricio García Vega.
4 March, 2019 - 01:46 dhwty

Juana Ines de la Cruz – 17th Century Philosopher, Composer, and Poet Who Spoke For Women’s Rights

Juana Ines de la Cruz was a 17 th century nun from colonial Mexico . She was regarded during her lifetime as a prodigy, and was a renowned scholar, poet , and playwright . Juana Ines’ works brought...

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