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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.

The King of Beasts That Have Witnessed the Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations
17 December, 2016 - 00:44 Natalia Klimczak

The King of Beasts That Have Witnessed the Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations

Lions are often said to be the kings of all animals. They are also a symbol of power and popular archetypes for influential rulers. Most civilizations have depicted these regal animals in their...
Fast Money: The Egyptian Economy, Monetary System, and Horrendous Taxes
16 December, 2016 - 00:58 Natalia Klimczak

Fast Money: The Egyptian Economy, Monetary System, and Horrendous Taxes

The ancient Egyptians created a sophisticated economic system thousands of years ago. Although they may seem far removed from modern life, their inventions in the monetary realm provided the basis...
Hunting the Lions: The Last King of Assyria, and the Death of the Empire – Part II
15 December, 2016 - 02:31 Cam Rea

Hunting the Lions: The Last King of Assyria, and the Death of the Empire – Part II

The Assyrian empire, with the death of King Ashurbanipal, was collapsing under the weight of politics and war. Kingdoms and leaders previously held in Assyria’s great grasp fell upon the vulnerable...
A group of Trinovantes at a graveside in Colchester by Peter Froste.
14 December, 2016 - 14:47 Natalia Klimczak

The So-Called Druid of Colchester: Physician, Mystical Man, or Both?

In 1996, a team of researchers unearthed a unique burial of a mysterious man. The odd remains and specific funerary equipment thrilled the archaeologists. Was the man who lived 2,000 years ago an...
A lion is hunted, and is near death. Assyrian relief, Nineveh, north palace, 645-635 BCE
13 December, 2016 - 02:05 Cam Rea

Hunting the Lions: A Dead King, and a Collapsing Assyrian Empire – Part I

The fall of Assyria was with a whimper and in no way ended with a bang. Instead, it ended in a slow, agonizing death. Ashurbanipal, Assyria's last great king, ascended the throne only to inherit a...
Pythagoras: One of the Greatest Minds of His Time
10 December, 2016 - 03:55 Theodoros Karasavvas

Pythagoras: One of the Greatest Minds of His Time

Pythagoras was one of the greatest minds and philosophers of his time and his unquestionable influence can be felt even today in mathematics. It is believed that he was the first man who referred to...
The Enigmatic Columns of Horus: Divine Tools of Energy– Part II
10 December, 2016 - 02:04 Armando Mei

The Enigmatic Columns of Horus: Divine Tools of Energy– Part II

The supreme being of the pharaohs’ pantheon was associated with the sun’s disk and, according to the myth, he emerged from the ocean of the Nun, carried by the goddess Mehetueret, the Celestial Cow...
The City of Refuge: Ancient Hawaiian Sanctuary Protected Law Breakers from Death Sentence
9 December, 2016 - 21:48 Kerry Sullivan

The City of Refuge: Ancient Hawaiian Sanctuary Protected Law Breakers from Death Sentence

For the ancient people living on the Hawaiian Islands, kapu was a major factor in their day-to-day lives. Kapu was a system of laws that governed political and religious affairs as well as lifestyle...
Ahuitzotl: Powerful Ruler in the Aztec Golden Age
9 December, 2016 - 03:54 dhwty

Ahuitzotl: Powerful Ruler in the Aztec Golden Age

Ahuitzotl was a tlatoani (meaning ‘speaker’) of the city of Tenochtitlan, and the eighth ruler of the Aztec Empire. This emperor reigned from 1486 AD to 1502 AD, a period which is regarded by some...
Elephants, Peacocks, and Horses: The Amazing Animals of Alexander the Great
8 December, 2016 - 14:53 Natalia Klimczak

Elephants, Peacocks, and Horses: The Amazing Animals of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great was apparently fascinated with everything that could be seen as a symbol of power. Stories about his interest in animals are well known too. He was probably intrigued by other...
The Enigmatic Columns of Horus: Hidden Tools, Weapons of the Gods? – Part I
8 December, 2016 - 02:15 Armando Mei

The Enigmatic Columns of Horus: Hidden Tools, Weapons of the Gods? – Part I

Over the last two centuries, Egyptologists have proposed a host of certainties on Egyptian burial customs with the study of abundant literature found within the tombs, built during the Ancient and...
Birds, Stones, and Jaguars: Piecing Together the Multifaceted Ancient Olmec Religion
8 December, 2016 - 00:51 Clyde Winters

Birds, Stones, and Jaguars: Piecing Together the Multifaceted Ancient Olmec Religion

The Bilingual-Mayan inscription of Comalcalco and decipherment of the La Venta celts and Olmec iconography allows one to understand much about the ancient Olmec religion and its cult associations...
Would you Want a Chalice Owned by Cleopatra or a Necklace Worn by Alexander the Great?
6 December, 2016 - 21:51 Natalia Klimczak

Would you Want a Chalice Owned by Cleopatra or a Necklace Worn by Alexander the Great?

If you think that collecting artifacts that belonged to famous people is a modern domain, you are wrong. The idea of idols has been popular since the beginning of human civilization, and people have...
What Would You Have Eaten for Christmas in Medieval Times?
6 December, 2016 - 14:49 ancient-origins

What Would You Have Eaten for Christmas in Medieval Times?

With Christmas almost upon us, there will be plenty of frenzied present shopping and meal planning. Haven’t made that Christmas cake yet? Fear not. If you were preparing the festive meal 600 years...
Anahita and Ishtar: Connections to the Planet Venus
5 December, 2016 - 03:47 Caleb Strom

Anahita and Ishtar: Connections to the Planet Venus

Anahita was a goddess associated with water, fertility, wisdom, warfare, and eventually the planet Venus. During the Achaemenid dynasty in Persia, she became incorporated into the Zoroastrian...
Mythbusting Ancient Rome – Throwing Christians to the Lions
5 December, 2016 - 00:50 ancient-origins

Mythbusting Ancient Rome – Throwing Christians to the Lions

CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS! rang without end through all quarters of the city. So writes Henryk Sienkiewicz in his novel Quo Vadis (1895). By the end of the 19th century, the image of cowering...
Kenneth MacAlpin: King of the Picts and Legendary Founder of Scotia
4 December, 2016 - 22:03 Kerry Sullivan

Kenneth MacAlpin: King of the Picts and Legendary Founder of Scotia

There is scarcely any concrete information about the man widely credited with the foundation of medieval Scotia, the precursor to today’s Scotland. There are facts about battles that occurred and...
How Ancient Warriors Coped with the Brutality of War
4 December, 2016 - 03:49 ancient-origins

How Ancient Warriors Coped with the Brutality of War

As many as 7% of armed forces personnel suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and that figure is expected to rise as the full impact of a decade of war in the Middle East makes itself felt. But...
: Deriv; Portrait of Gustav II of Sweden and his death on November 6, 1632.
3 December, 2016 - 02:10 Cam Rea

“Lion of the North” Gustavus Adolphus and the Thirty Years’ War: Victories and Downfall – Part II

This is the recounting of the dramatic life of the “The Golden King” and “The Lion of the North” Gustav Adolf, and the Swedish Empire during stormaktstiden – “the Great Power era”. As Gustav II Adolf...
The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)
1 December, 2016 - 13:59 Cam Rea

“Lion of the North” Gustavus Adolphus and the Thirty Years’ War: Fighting the Holy Roman Empire – Part I

On 9 December 1594, Gustav II Adolf was born. From the time of his birth until his coronation, his upbringing involved many lessons in politics, literature, military science, and physical development...
The Bold Story of Benito de Soto, One of the Last Spanish Pirates
30 November, 2016 - 21:53 Natalia Klimczak

The Bold Story of Benito de Soto, One of the Last Spanish Pirates

The history of the Spanish coast is full of legends about famous pirates. Some of them were real, and others imaginary. There were some pirates who became famous figures for the regions they came...
Detail from Chariot Race by Jean-Leon Gerome
30 November, 2016 - 14:48 Kerry Sullivan

Gaius Appuleius Diocles, The $15 Billion Athlete of the Ancient World

There is much discussion about today’s highly paid athletes, be they football stars or Olympic competitors. According to Forbes, the top five highest-paid athletes in 2016 were Cristiano Ronaldo ($88...
Cadaver Synod: The Exhumed Corpse of Pope Formosus That Was Put on Trial
30 November, 2016 - 00:47 Kerry Sullivan

Cadaver Synod: The Exhumed Corpse of Pope Formosus That Was Put on Trial

The 9 th and 10 th centuries AD were turbulent years for the papacy of Rome. Caught up in the political machinations of Europe, the Vatican saw a rapid succession of popes come and go. The situation...
Art of War: Onna Bugeisha of Japan and the Ancient Female Warrior Culture
29 November, 2016 - 02:25 MartiniF

Art of War: Onna Bugeisha of Japan and the Ancient Female Warrior Culture

The idea since ancient times that it was men solely who were engaged in war is so common that it has become somewhat of a cliché. The vision of heavily armed men has become so associated with the art...

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