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Cupid and Psyche (Amore e Psiche) - symbol of eternal love, by sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni. Source: Paolo Gallo/Adobe Stock

Love May Be Timeless, But the Way We Talk About It Isn’t

By David Albertson /The Conversation Every year as Valentine’s Day approaches, people remind themselves that not all expressions of love fit the stereotypes of modern romance. V-Day cynics might plan...
Sigismunda Mourning Over the Heart of Guiscardo by William Hogarth (1759).  Source: Tate/ CC BY NC-ND 3.0

Forget Flowers, 18th Century Romantics Gave Their Actual Hearts

Jolene Zigarovich /The Conversation Every Valentine’s Day, we’re inundated with hearts. We purchase cards with hearts and heart-shaped balloons. We wear clothing with hearts and adorn ourselves with...
Baroque man looking very surprised at royal scandals. Source: ajr_images/Adobe Stock

Top 10 Royal Scandals That Left Society Aghast

Throughout history, royal families were often the image of the nations they ruled over. They were expected to conduct themselves with grace and dignity, to be shrewd and capable monarchs, and to lead...
Three stacks of French love letters bound together by a ribbon, were finally opened by Cambridge University professor Renaud Morieux at the national archives, Kew. Source: The National Archives / Renaud Morieux

18th Century Love Letters Written to French Sailors Finally Opened and Read

More than two-and-a-half centuries after they were originally composed, more than 100 letters sent to members of the French navy by their loved ones have finally been opened and read. The messages...
An embracing couple in medieval dress, symbolic of ancient love stories of history. Source: Karrrtinki/Adobe Stock

7 Ancient Love Stories That Shook the World

In the annals of history, there exist tales of love that transcend the boundaries of time and society, romances that have left a permanent mark on the world. From the passionate but doomed romance of...
A Roman emperor with his wife or mistress. AI generated.

Roman Emperors and Their Scandalous Love Lives (Video)

Roman emperors, often celebrated for their military prowess and political achievements, also had fascinating love lives that add depth to their historical personas. Julius Caesar , the iconic figure...
Today, oysters are consumed as an aphrodisiac. Source: Ricky / Adobe Stock.

10 of the Weirdest Things Consumed as Aphrodisiacs

These days if someone needs a little help getting in the mood, they are likely to use wine, chocolate, oysters, or maybe even certain pharmaceuticals. But what about our ancestors? Well, across...
Renaissance styled French queen cavorting with French gentleman.  Source: LanaK/Adobe Stock

Seven Scandalous Love Affairs of French Queens

Behind the opulent facade of French queens' lives lie captivating tales of forbidden love and clandestine affairs that have echoed through the annals of history. From the alluring intrigue of Queen...
Study reveals Romans bred bulldog-like canines 2,000 years ago. Source: svetography / Adobe Stock

Romans Bred Bulldog-like Canines 2,000 Years Ago, But Why?

A team of scientists measured a damaged 2,000-year-old dog skull discovered at a Roman site in Turkey. They discovered that not only did Romans breed a small flat-faced dog, similar to a French...
Babylonian clay model showing a nude couple on a couch engaged in sex and kissing. Date: 1800 BC. Source: © The Trustees of the British Museum/ CC BY-NC-SA

Humans Were Kissing in Mesopotamia As Early As 4,500 Years Ago

Humanity's love affair with kissing goes way back, but just how far? Recent research has revealed that the art of smooching was already in full swing a staggering 4,500 years ago in Mesopotamia, and...
Isabel Gramesón survived alone in the Amazon jungle during her quest to be reunited with her husband. Source: Chernyakov Aleksandr / Adobe Stock

Isabel Gramesón Walked 3,000 Miles Across The Amazon For Love

Back in the 1730s, a group of daring Frenchmen embarked on a mission to calculate the true size and shape of the Earth. Led by Charles Marie de la Condamine as part of the famed French Geodesic...
Saint Valentine is today associated with lovers. Here, lovers shown in the Medieval Miniature from the Codex Manesse. Source: Public Domain

Valentine’s Day’s Connection with Love was Probably Invented by 14th-Century Poets

Natalie Goodison / The Conversation As an undergraduate, on a tour of Europe, I happened to step into the church where Saint Valentine’s head was kept. The tour guide told us a (likely fictitious)...
A Glittering Piece of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon's History Discovered

A Glittering Piece of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon's History Discovered

A historic gold pendant and chain, believed to be associated with Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, has been revealed by the British Museum. The artifact, made of gold and adorned with red and...
Painting of Freja by John Bauer. Source: Public domain

The Story, Symbols and Powers of Freya, the Norse Goddess of Love

Freya is old Norse for “lady” and was the name given to the Norse goddess of love. Whilst she certainly sought out passion and pleasure, she was a complex character. In fact, to the Vikings she was a...
Gold Eros, Greek god of love representation close up on middle body, bow and arrow. Source: zwiebackesser / Adobe Stock

Eros: Everything You Need to Know about the Greek God of Love and Sex

The ancient Greeks had a god for everything – and sometimes they had more than one god for things! This is the case for love and sex, which are most commonly attributed to Aphrodite. However, there...
Book pages curled into a heart for Valentine’s Day. 	Source: pirotehnik / Adobe Stock

Day of Love? The Complex Origins of Valentine’s Day

On February 14, couples from around the world recognize Valentine’s Day. For most, Valentine’s Day is a day of love, a day to shower your beloved with gifts and tokens of appreciation, to enjoy a...
A medieval couple embrace. Source: diter / Adobe Stock

The Aphrodisiacs that Spiced Up Sex Lives in the Ancient World

Sex is a primal urge humans share with animals. In the ancient world, human fertility had implications for safety and prosperity. However, as the search for birth control methods went hand in hand...
The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon.

Solomon and Sheba: Were a Famous Pharaoh and Queen the Real Protagonists in this Love Story?

The story of Solomon and Sheba is well known as one of love. But it is only when we learn their true identities that we see how much affection and adoration Solomon had for his favorite Queen. He...
Venus: Eroticized Goddess of Love, Fertility, Agriculture… and Infidelity?

Venus: Eroticized Goddess of Love, Fertility, Agriculture… and Infidelity?

According to Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess most famously associated with love, beauty, and fertility. Less commonly known, however, is that Venus was also worshipped as the goddess of...
Aine: A Radiant Celtic Goddess of Love, Summer, and Sovereignty

Aine: Radiant Celtic Goddess of Love, Summer, and Sovereignty

Aine is often remembered as a Celtic goddess of love. But she was also a deity of wealth, sovereignty, and the summer. Her sensitive and joyful personality brought her many followers in the Celtic...
The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!

The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!

The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite fighting unit consisting of 300 Theban soldiers who were not only warriors but coupled lovers as well. According to the scholar Plutarch, the creation of the...
Domestic Violence in Medieval Marriages: The Tragic Story of William and Isabel Newport

Domestic Violence in Medieval Marriages: The Tragic Story of William and Isabel Newport

Domestic violence is a serious problem in modern society, but it should surprise no-one that this issue has been plaguing Western society for many hundreds, even thousands of years. It is difficult...
Zeb-un-Nisa: Mughal Princess and Rebel Poetess

Princess Zeb-un-Nisa: Rebel Sufi Poetess and her Gilded Garden Prison

Sitting alone in her quiet gardens, reciting verses of poetry and waiting for the end to come. This is how Princess Zeb-un-Nisa spent the final years of her life. Zeb-un-Nisa means “jewel among women...
Lakshmi: The Enigmatic Hindu Personification Of Mother Nature

Lakshmi: The Enigmatic Hindu Personification Of Mother Nature

It is no secret that the enigmatic Hindu pantheon can be quite unique and overwhelming to fully grasp. It is full of mythical gods and goddesses, of wondrous divine creatures, and deep, meaningful,...

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