February 24, 1525. A day that is not marked in infamy but in the blood of France. On this date, the Battle of Pavia occurred – the decisive event in a longstanding war and rivalry, and the crushing...
As the Roman Empire crumbled, the history of the ancient world was undoubtedly marked and shaped by more than one powerful Germanic tribe. From their oldest roots, they developed into iconic ethnic...
For nearly fifty years, the town of Craco in southern Italy has stood uninhabited. Here, dark windows look out at potential travelers like empty eye sockets and the streets and buildings of this...
To visit Venice is a dream of every passionate traveler. The city, crisscrossed with channels and marvelous relics of art and culture, is one of Italy’s most sought-after tourist destinations. But...
Expert researchers with an interest in ancient European rock art have just completed an exhaustive study of Romanelli Cave, an impressively decorated rock art site located on the southeastern tip of...
Homer’s Iliad , a classical ancient Greek tale from the 8th century BC, contains a brief, 6-line description of the famous 2,800-year-old Nestor’s Cup, which was the subject of a great deal of...
While it started out full of ambition, the highly influential maritime power, the Republic of Venice, soon found itself surrounded by competitors and foes. One of their major enemies was the lofty...
The Doge of Venice was the highest office in the Republic of Venice. This office existed for about a millennium, from the 8th century AD till the 18th century. The title of this office traces its...
The Renaissance, Europe’s scientific jump forward from its medieval past, began in Florence, Italy and made the region a global cultural hub in the 14th and 15th centuries. Renaissance achievements...
Slavery was a large part of the Roman Empire. Military expansion brought captives, to compliment the material wealth taken back to Rome. And there is strong evidence that these slaves were not always...
Antonio Stradivari, the legendary Italian luthier and craftsman, had the Midas’ touch for string instruments. It was a craft he (and one other luthier) perfected for the production of acoustically “...
The real identity of da Vinci’s mother has always been shrouded in mystery, with historians remaining confused about Leonardo da Vinci’s maternal family. But now, a scholar has claimed that he found...
A place that sold street food, buried beneath volcanic debris in Pompeii for almost 2000 years, is reopening. The Pompeii food stall is an amazing discovery for so many reasons. For decades,...
The Third Ostrogothic Siege of Rome occurred in 549-550 AD and was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Ostrogoths. The former was in control of the city, whilst the latter tried to seize the...
An Italian national treasure, and one of the greatest poets and writers to emerge from the Italian Middle Age (indeed, ever), Dante Alighieri was a 13th century and early 14th century writer who was...
Two Italian historians have announced they have found the “lost descendants” of Leonardo da Vinci after a 10-year-long quest into the family tree of the famous polymath, inventor, and artist. Italian...
Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general who lived between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. He is perhaps best remembered for his military campaign against the Romans in the Second Punic War. Thanks to...
Scientists applying a precise form of radiocarbon dating technology have successfully dated an important and mysterious below-ground monument located in northern Italy. The prehistoric water tank is...
It was long thought that the Segesta Archaeological Park, in Sicily , had given up most of her secrets to Victorian-era archaeologists and treasure hunters . However, it now appears it hadn’t. A team...
According to the Catholic Stations of the Cross, there was once a woman who wiped the sweat and blood from the face of Jesus Christ with a cloth as he endured the torturous walk carrying his own...
The ancient remains of nine Neanderthals found near Rome have been discovered in a cave. Italian archaeologistsspeculating as to how the Neanderthals found near Rome died, discovered tell-tale...
In the culturally and historically rich province of Tuscany in central Italy there is an old way of blessing someone verbally. It translates into the phrase “...from the warm waters of San Casciano...
The House of Borgia was a noble family that rose to prominence during the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Originally from Spain, the family established itself in Italy, where they played an important role...
Archaeologists arrived at Marcel Loubans cave near Bologna , Italy, in 2017 to embark on a unique rescue mission . Their goal was to extract a solitary human skull that had somehow become marooned on...
