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Important Events

Here we feature some of the most seminal, historical, and influential events throughout history – both celebrated and unheralded – from the emergence of powerful civilizations and empires, to famous battles, great achievements, and events that have helped shape the world we currently know.

A portrait painting of Emperor Gao of Han (Liu Bang), from an 18th-century Qing Dynasty album of Chinese emperors' portraits. (Public Domain) Background: A tomb painting of a late Eastern-Han period lively banquet.
15 May, 2018 - 01:59 dhwty

A Golden Age of China, Part I: Early Han Dynasty Emperors

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty in Chinese history. This dynasty was a long one – it was established during the 3rd century BC and lasted all the way until the 3rd century AD. It was...
Bronze Chariot & Horses w/ Coachman ―Qin Dynasty, 221-206 BC
12 May, 2018 - 22:58 dhwty

The Wonders and The Terrors of the Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty in the history of China. It was also the shortest-lived dynasty, lasting only 15 years between 221 BC and 206 BC. Nonetheless, it was hugely important,...
Dagger axe with engraved decoration of a tiger, China, Warring States period, 475-221 BC, bronze - Östasiatiska museet, Stockholm.
10 May, 2018 - 22:51 dhwty

Warring States Period: More than 200 Years of Blood-fueled Chinese History

The Warring States Period is an era when power was concentrated in the hands of seven major states. This was a bloody time in Chinese history and continuous warfare meant countless casualties. It was...
The Burning of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar’s Army (1630-1660)
9 May, 2018 - 18:44 Mark Oliver

By the Rivers of Babylon: Life in Ancient Babylon’s Thriving Jewish Community

In the 6th-century BC, the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah. They tore down the city walls, burned the temples, and ran down every person who tried to escape. The few...
Fittings in the form of tigers, Baoji, Shaanxi province, Middle Western Zhou dynasty, c. 900 BC, bronze - Freer Gallery of Art.
6 May, 2018 - 01:48 dhwty

The Zhou Dynasty: The Longest-Lasting Dynasty in Chinese History

The Zhou Dynasty was the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history. It persisted all the way from the 11th to the 3rd century BC. The rulers of this epoch were no strangers to battle, but they also...
Pit of oracle bones (甲骨) at Anyang Yinxu. The oracle bones are pieces of bone or turtle plastron bearing the answers to divination during the late Shang Dynasty (1766-1050 BC).
2 May, 2018 - 18:57 dhwty

The Shang Dynasty: Second in Traditional Historiography, First in Archaeology

There is a semi-mythological dynasty before it, but from an archaeological point of view it could be argued the Shang Dynasty was the first dynasty of China. It was Bronze Age China at its known best...
Famous Alexander Mosaic, showing Battle of Issus. Alexander is depicted mounted, on the left.
28 April, 2018 - 01:59 Cam Rea

Why did Alexander the Great Really Invade the Persian Empire?

By Cam Rea/ Classical Wisdom Alexander of Macedon, more widely known as Alexander the Great, is one of history’s most famous conquerors. Many historians, poets, and writers have been mesmerized by...
Meteor strike.
27 April, 2018 - 01:57 Kirk Kirchev

Did an Astronomical Body Cause the Global Floods of Ancient Myths with Its Gravitational Tidal Floods? - Part 2

This is the concluding part of a two-part article that offers a unifying scientific hypothesis that connects diverse ancient flood myths with mainstream scientific fact. Part 1 offered scientific...
An illustration of a near-Earth object, or NEO, passing by Earth.
26 April, 2018 - 19:00 Kirk Kirchev

Did an Astronomical Body Cause the Global Floods of Ancient Myths with Its Gravitational Tidal Floods? - Part 1

The following is a unifying scientific hypothesis that connects diverse ancient flood myths with mainstream scientific fact. Currently the biblical narrative of the great flood falls short of...
Large trees in image are Yellowwood (Afrocarpus falcatus=Podocarpus falcatus) by Androstachys
24 April, 2018 - 19:05 micki pistorius

The Ghosts of Knysna Forest: Footsteps of the Once Great Elephant Herds Gone with the Wind

Before man invaded, a vast stretch along the southern coast of Africa, was once a lush green forest. A seagull’s view coming in from the sea would have seen the whitewash breakers of the Indian ocean...
Two Sides to Every Story: The North American Martyrs Shrines and Indigenous/ Roman Catholic Relations – Part II
24 April, 2018 - 01:51 Joachim Brouwer

Two Sides to Every Story: The North American Martyrs Shrines and Indigenous/ Roman Catholic Relations – Part II

Read Part 1 Jerome Lalemant, the second Superior of the Huron mission, said there were so few converts because no Jesuit had been martyred yet. It is stated more than once that if the “glorious crown...
Palmyrean triad: Baalshamin, master of the skies, the Moon-god Aglibol and the Sun-god Malakbel (Yarhibol). Cultual relief, limestone, first half of the 1st century AD, found in one of the routes to Palmyra. The stele bears religious inscriptions carved by passers-by.
8 April, 2018 - 22:58 Dr. Steven L. D...

Scholar Made the Ultimate Sacrifice to Save Ancient Palmyra Treasures from the Hands of ISIS

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, whose real name was Ibrahim al-Badri, was once a lecturer of Islamic studies and an Imam at mosques in Baghdad and Falluja. He also served as an officer in the army of Saddam...
The laughing jester // Art museum of Stockholm, Sweden.
1 April, 2018 - 14:00 aprilholloway

Jokes and Pranks: Here is the April Fools’ Day Origin Story

Every year, people celebrate April Fools’ Day with pranks, practical jokes, and hoaxes. Merriment, cheer, and joviality reign as people poke socially sanctioned fun at one another. This day has been...
Representative image. The Eruption of Vesuvius in December 1820 by Johann Christian Dahl
20 March, 2018 - 17:54 ancient-origins

Did a Brutal Volcanic Eruption Lead People to Abandon Their Pagan Gods and Embrace Christianity?

Memories of the largest lava flood in the history of Iceland, recorded in an apocalyptic medieval poem, were used to drive the island's conversion to Christianity, new research suggests. A team of...
The Combat of the Thirty (26-27 March 1351) (French: Combat des Trente) by Octave Penguilly L'Haridon - Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper.
20 March, 2018 - 12:55 dhwty

The Combat of the Thirty: A Contest of the Finest

The Combat of the Thirty is an episode in the War of the Breton Succession, which in turn was part of the Hundred Years’ War. This combat, which took place on March 26/27, 1351, was fought between 30...
The Great Heathen Army
28 February, 2018 - 22:52 dhwty

The Great Heathen Army: Viking Coalition Becomes an Anglo-Saxon Nightmare

Viking raids may have been a common factor in the life of a 9th century Anglo Saxon, but there was something terrifyingly distinct when an army emerged seeking revenge. The Great Heathen Army would...
Drawing of the Medieval Birdman of Stirling Castle.
27 February, 2018 - 23:00 ashley cowie

The Birdman of Stirling Castle: An Alchemical Pilot Searches for The Fifth Element

History books are peppered with stories of medieval European Alchemists attempting to turn base metals into gold and to produce elixirs of immortality. However, there was one disastrous alchemical...
The Massacre of Glencoe James Hamilton (1853–1894)
14 February, 2018 - 18:54 ashley cowie

Mapping A Massacre for Old Times Sake

Archaeologists in Scotland are to bring alive “the human story” of the Glencoe massacre, one of the most violent episodes in British history. Three former settlements in the magnificent Glencoe...
‘The Last Judgment’ triptych (open) (1467-1471) by Hans Memling.
11 February, 2018 - 18:59 ashley cowie

Prophecy of the Popes: Are We Reaching the End of Days?

For thousands of years, people all over the ancient world claimed to have the powers of foresight. In 1143, The Prophecy of the Popes was created - listing the future attributes of the 112 pontiffs...
Detail from a replica of the small golden shrine found in KV62 that shows Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun; design by Anand Balaji
29 January, 2018 - 22:59 anand balaji

Inching Closer to Ankhesenamun: Is the Last Sun Queen Set to be Found? — Part II

The probable marriage of Ankhesenamun, the widow of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, to the aged vizier Aye before she vanished from the records paved the way for the old family retainer to ascend the throne of...
"Ertränken im Fass oder Sack", a 1560 sketch showing ‘punishment of the sack’.
23 January, 2018 - 02:00 ancient-origins

Mythbusting Ancient Rome: Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Early Roman history is full of stories about the terrible fates that befell citizens who broke the law. When a certain Tarpeia let the enemy Sabines into Rome, she was crushed and thrown headlong...
‘End of the World’ artistic representation.
22 January, 2018 - 18:55 ashley cowie

Ancient Fears to Keep You Up at Night - The End Really, Really is Nigh

Historians often declare that at least 3500 end of world prophecies have appeared over the same number of years. And those are only the written ones! Eschatology is theology concerned with the final...
Top image: A woman in traditional Chinese dress. Source: CC0
20 January, 2018 - 18:48 dhwty

When Concubines Fought Back: The Plot to Eliminate a Mad and Sadistic Emperor

The Renyin Plot was an assassination attempt carried out on the sadistically violent Jiajing Emperor, who was the ruler of China’s Ming Dynasty during the 16th century. The assassins almost succeeded...
Venus and Anchises
20 January, 2018 - 02:01 ancient-origins

Explainer: The Gods Behind the Days of the Week

The Roman weekday ‘dies Veneris’ was named after the planet Venus, which in turn took its name from Venus, goddess of love. The origins of our days of the week lie with the Romans. The Romans named...

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