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Genghis Khan has many wives. Source: Hui / Adobe Stock.

The Sad Truth about Genghis Khan's Wives (Video)

Genghis Khan , the famed Mongol leader, is known not only for his vast empire but also for his unique approach to marriage. In an era where alliances and politics played a crucial role, Khan's...
Marble body lines of young naked Roman women of Renaissance Era Source: Neurobite / Adobe Stock)

A Guide to Exploring Love, Sex, and Homosexuality in Ancient Rome

When people think about love and sex in ancient Rome, it tends to be pretty scandalous: orgies here, there, and everywhere! But the truth is rarely black and white. Were the Romans more sexually...
Although a creator god, Coniraya dressed like a beggar. Source: fresnel6 / Adobe Stock

Coniraya: The Inca Fertility God Who Dressed Like a Bum

If you thought the Greek gods had a monopoly on selfishness, rape, deception and other shady derring-do, you were wrong. Take, for instance, the Inca god Coniraya (also Cuniraya), who might have fit...
Medieval Sex and Scandal: Consistory Courts and Morality in Medieval England

Medieval Sex and Scandal: Consistory Courts and Morality in Medieval England

In the 21st century, most people would consider their intimate and sexual relationships to be a private matter. In the Middle Ages however, the division between private and public areas in the lives...
How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial

How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial

On January 17 th , 1569, the simple, unwed house servant Agnes Bowker of Market Harborough, England, was in the throes of giving birth to a secret child. By her side were the midwives Margaret Roose...
Provocative scenes from the medieval poem, ‘Roman de La Rose’, have been discovered. Source: Dmitry Pichugin / Adobe Stock.

Does This Explicit Medieval Poem Hold Dark Undertones?

Fragments from a popular sexually explicit medieval French book have been discovered describing what journalists are calling a “hot-encounter" and “ X-rated language ”, but is this text a much more...
Statue of a woman covering herself. Credit: macondos / Adobe Stock

The Shocking History of Virgin Tests and Cures

Virginity has been the obsession of men for thousands of years. It has driven the best people, like the virgin warrior Joan of Arc, to fight for just cause. Virginity has also lured the worst people...
Roman soldiers and their general.

Ruthless Rulers Did Dark Deeds Right From the Founding of Rome

According to history, the city of Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 BC. From then till the end of the 6 th century BC, Rome was ruled by kings after which it was transformed into a republic. In 27...
Marble theater mask depicting a woman from a popular Roman tragedy Pompeii 1st century AD.

A Failed #MeToo Moment: Just How Horrible Being An Ancient Roman Actress Could Be

When an actress in ancient Rome was brutally gang-raped by a group of young men who’d come to see her show, she started a very public battle for justice. The story of her fight and her failure is...
Detail of the Alexander Sarcophagus located in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Here Alexander fights the Persians at the Battle of Issus.

Alexander the Great Destroyer? The Sacking of Persepolis and The Business of War – Part I

Alexander the Great has gained an immortality in his strong presence in our minds as well as in the history books. Known for a greatness of military genius and diplomatic skills, he conquered most of...
Lucretia And Tarquin, 17th century painting

The Rape of Lucretia: A History of the Ancient Wife Who Changed the Destiny of Rome

Sextus Tarquinius was the son of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome who was engaged in the siege of Ardea at the time. One day, Sextus invited his friends for supper and drinks at his...
The Rape of the Sabine Women by Pietro da Cortona

The Rape of the Sabine Women

According to tradition, the city of Rome was founded in the 8 th century B.C. by Romulus. The Roman historian Livy wrote that the city of Rome grew strong quickly, and was able to defend itself...
Roman Law and Homosexuality

Roman Law and the Banning of ‘Passive’ Homosexuality

In ancient Rome, there was no vocabulary to distinguish between homosexuality and heterosexuality. Sexuality instead was defined by behavioural mannerisms , whether active or passive, in both gay and...