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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 photo of a troglodyte cave house in Gharyan, Libya.
13 April, 2017 - 19:00 dhwty

Want a Unique Underground Experience? Live Like a Modern Troglodyte at a Libyan Cave House Hotel

Troglodyte (which means ‘cave dweller’) cave houses are a type of dwelling that may be found in certain parts of the world. In Libya, this unique type of house can be found in the Jabal Nasufah (...
Antique portrait of a woman, Austria
12 April, 2017 - 15:30 nrushton

Bodies Left Behind - A Cruel History of Persecution, Shamanic Ecstasies & the True Witches Sabbath

‘The witches are carried sometimes in their bodies and clothes, at other times without, and the examiner thinks their bodies are sometimes left behind. Even when their spirits only are present, yet...
The Saccara Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt.
11 April, 2017 - 14:01 Natalia Klimczak

The Real Reason Tutankhamun, Akhenaten, and Cleopatra are the Superstars of Ancient Egypt

Archaeology, like every discipline on Earth, cannot be free from the rules of marketing and public relations. The impact of promotion in media and other places affects the lives of millions of people...
Five of the Most Powerful and Influential Empires of the Ancient World
10 April, 2017 - 13:58 dhwty

Five of the Most Powerful and Influential Empires of the Ancient World

​The history of human civilization has seen the rise and fall of countless empires. Many of these empires have influenced history on a regional, or even on a global scale. Still, there are some...
An example of the Proto-Sinaitic script.
10 April, 2017 - 02:00 dhwty

The A to Z of Alphabet Origins and the Most Ancient Written Languages

Writing is traditionally regarded as one of the requirements for a society to be considered as a civilization. Various writing systems have been invented by the great civilizations of the world, one...
All images courtesy of Ashley Cowie
9 April, 2017 - 19:03 ashley cowie

Sex Symbols of the Ancient World: Top Ten Sexually Explicit Caves, Mountains, Temples and Artifacts

If you are sensitive about matters pertaining to sex and sexuality it's probably best that you press the back button now. For those with a more exploratory attitude, what I hope you take away from...
Astrology Tile Mosaic, Ringling's Mansion (Courtyard)
9 April, 2017 - 14:00 Theodoros Karasavvas

The 4,000 Year History of Horoscopes: How Astrology Has Been Shaped Throughout the Millennia

Every time ancient Greece is mentioned, most people automatically think of democracy, the Olympic Games, mythology, philosophy, technology and various sciences such as mathematics and astronomy. It...
Silver reliquary with skull purportedly Saint Agnes' - Santa Agnese in Agone Church at Piazza Navona in Rome.
8 April, 2017 - 22:32 Natalia Klimczak

The Fascinating Catacomb of Saint Agnes, a Young Christian Martyr Who Died for her Beliefs

Beneath the city of Rome, among its ancient remains, lie many complexes of catacombs. One of the oldest of these is the one dedicated to Saint Agnes. Agnes (or Agatha) was a beautiful young woman who...
Prehistoric Man.
7 April, 2017 - 23:05 Caleb Strom

Are Humans Just Self-Domesticated Apes?

One of the greatest mysteries is the origin of the human mind. Why are humans so different from other animals? Why do we have languages, religions, complex political and economic systems, and...
A boy holding a platter of fruits with a bucket of crabs, in a kitchen with fish and squid, on the June panel from a mosaic depicting the months (3rd century)
7 April, 2017 - 15:23 victor labate

Eating Like a Roman: Healthy Greens, Gritty Bread and Fish Paste – The Evolution of Ancient Roman Cuisine

While the reputation of ancient Roman dining features decadent drinking and feasting to a point of excess – leading to notorious purges in the vomitorium – those stories were largely anecdotal, or...
Cloaked man; Deriv
7 April, 2017 - 13:58 Graham Phillips

Merlin: Warrior & Poet. Two Historical Figures that Inspired the Legend

It’s only a few weeks now until the movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword hits the big screen. It will be particularly interesting to see how it portrays Merlin, the royal puppet master in the...
Exhibit featuring Mongolian arrows, and Mongolian soldier model
5 April, 2017 - 16:21 Cam Rea

How Did They Do It? Masters of the Steppe: Armed to the Teeth with Weapons and Poison—Part II

Much is known about the ancient Mongol military and their incredible victories on the battlefield, but little is ever discussed about their arms, armor, horses, and logistics. What gear did they use...
Elizabeth Taylor, ‘Cleopatra’ (1963).
4 April, 2017 - 14:00 Natalia Klimczak

A Brief History of the Enduring Iconic Female Phenomenon of Red Lipstick

Red lipstick is a modern-day symbol of sex appeal and an attribute of femininity. Many modern women may be surprised by the fact that our recent generations are not the ones which invented this...
Painting depicting the Battle of Cheoin (Korea) between Goryeo and Mongol Empire forces in the Korean peninsula in 1232; Deriv.
3 April, 2017 - 15:46 Cam Rea

How Did They Do It? Masters of the Steppe: The Gear and Guts of the Mongol Military—Part I

Much is known about the ancient Mongol military and their incredible victories on the battlefield, but little is ever discussed about their arms, armor, horses, and logistics. What gear did they use...
Margaret Murray Unwrapping the Khnum-Nakht Mummy
2 April, 2017 - 22:56 Natalia Klimczak

Margaret Murray - Mother of Egyptology, Grandmother of Wicca, or Fairy Godmother?

Margaret Murray is one of the most mysterious Egyptologists. Although many researchers criticize her research, the story behind her writings scares anyone who is wary of the powers of witchcraft...
Terra Cotta Soldiers (CC BY 2.0), and Qin Shi Huang in a 19th century portrait (Public Domain);Deriv.
2 April, 2017 - 14:06 Shibumi

The King Who Made War Illegal! Challenging the Official History of The Art of War and the Terra Cotta Army–Part II

Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China. His remarkable success in ending 200 years of war and founding the empire through peaceful means had followed a methodology fully articulated...
Le Couronnement d’Ines de Castro en 1361’ (The Coronation of Ines de Castro in 1361) by Pierre-Charles Comte (
2 April, 2017 - 02:02 ancient-origins

Was a Portuguese Queen Really Exhumed for her Coronation?

According to legend, in the mid-14th century a heart-broken King Peter (Pedro) I of Portugal exhumed the corpse of his lover to have her posthumously crowned queen. The romantic scandals of European...
Penglai, depiction of one of the mythical islands (Public Domain), and Qin Shi Huang in a 19th century portrait (Public Domain);Deriv.
31 March, 2017 - 23:05 Shibumi

The King Who Made War Illegal! Challenging the Official History of The Art of War and the First Emperor –Part I

There are two great mysteries about the life of Qin Shi Huang, First Emperor of China—and a grand conspiracy. And these tightly related events are of profound significance extending way beyond the...
Collection of Egyptian Art, design by Anand Balaji
29 March, 2017 - 15:37 anand balaji

The Magic, Mystery and Madness of Tomb 55: Shadowy Sovereigns and Risky Reburials–Part IV

The German Egyptologist Walther Wolf was unsparing in his description of Akhenaten, calling him a man who epitomized “sick ugliness and nervous decadence”. The greatest irony of the entire Amarna...
Roman soldier
28 March, 2017 - 02:00 ancient-origins

How a third-century Roman soldier named Carausius was behind the first ‘Brexit’

From the first to the fifth centuries AD, Britain – though not officially Scotland, which lay beyond the frontier at Hadrian’s Wall – was part of the Roman Empire. It was situated at the empire’s...
Statue of The Roman Emperor Nero by Claudio Valenti, Anzio (anc. Antium) Italy.
27 March, 2017 - 15:31 MartiniF

Lost History of a Mad Man? Revealing the Surprisingly Compassionate Side of Nero, One of the “Worst” Ancient Roman Emperors

For centuries, the Roman emperor Nero has been well chronicled for his cruelty. Stories about his madness include divorcing his first wife before having her beheaded and then bringing her head to...
Urraca I of Leon by Jose Maria Rodrigues de Losada (deriv.)
26 March, 2017 - 23:01 Natalia Klimczak

Urraca the Reckless: How Did a Child Bride Unify a Kingdom?

Feminine, inspiring, and powerful – these three words could be sufficient to describe the queen whose rule transformed the position of women in medieval courts. Her original stamp on society is felt...
Chinese concubines in a harem
25 March, 2017 - 21:09 dhwty

20,000 Women and 100,000 Castrated Men to Serve the Emperor: The Imperial Harem of China

In Imperial China, one of the important tasks that the emperor needed to do was to ensure the continuation of the dynasty, which was achieved by the production of a male heir. For this purpose, the...
Ghosts, Hobbits or Cannibals? The Legend of Ebu Gogo, the Secret Tribe of Wild Grandmother Flesheaters
24 March, 2017 - 14:27 MartiniF

Ghosts, Hobbits or Cannibals? The Legend of Ebu Gogo, the Secret Tribe of Wild Grandmother Flesheaters

“On the Indonesian island of Flores, these ladies have been famous for centuries. Known as Ebu Gogo , which means Granny Flesheater, they are small, hairy, elf-like creatures who live in caves in the...

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