Trojan War

King Diomedes leader of the troops and unsung hero. Source: serhiibobyk / Adobe Stock.

2 December, 2019 - 14:04 B. B. Wagner

Diomedes, the Unsung Hero of Troy

Any Greek epic by the poet Homer should never be read quietly to one’s self but spoken out loud to all who wish to listen, especially if it has to do with the Trojan War. His epic poems sing praises...

Odysseus mosaic at the Bardo Museum in Tunis, Tunisia. (2nd century AD) (Public Domain)

11 November, 2019 - 23:23 Felice Vinci

Homer in the Baltic: Odysseus a Fair-Haired Dane?

Described by Homer and Pindar as ‘fair haired’, one can ask the perturbing question: Was Odysseus a Dane originating from the Baltic Sea and is Troy located on the Gulf of Finland? Since ancient...

Myrmidons were the mythical ‘Ant Army’ of Achilles. Source: Fotokvadrat / Adobe Stock

31 July, 2019 - 23:01 Caleb Strom

Myrmidons: The Fiercely Loyal and Unstoppable ‘Antmen’ Army of Achilles

The Myrmidons were allegedly fierce warriors from Thessaly that fought during the Trojan War with Achilles as their leader. The Myrmidons were considered the among the best warriors in Greece. They...

Aeneas carrying his father Anchises from the burning city of Troy’ (1627-1664) by Daniel van Heil. Details in the Iliad cast doubt on the generally accepted location of Troy. Source: Public Domain

20 May, 2019 - 19:01 Bernard Jones

Homer’s Iliad Casts Doubt on the Aegean Location of Troy

Historian Bernard Jones has spent more than three decades researching the ‘Story of Troy’ and he maintains that Homer’s Iliad is the greatest reference work on the Bronze Age world. Homer describes...

16 March, 2019 - 20:29 Miriam Kamil

Helen of Troy, The Beauty Who Sparked the Trojan War

In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy is known as the woman whose beauty sparked the Trojan War. But Helen’s character is more complex than it seems. When considering the many Greek and Roman myths that...

Scene from the movie, Troy, loosely based on Homer’s Iliad. (Troy)

21 April, 2018 - 13:56 ancient-origins

Toxic Masculinity Fostered by Misreadings of the Classics

Homer’s Iliad has been used by some men to hail the virtues of traditional masculinity in the 21st century. Typically, the famous work of literature serves as a sort of manual of manliness . Scholars...

The city’s acropolis is barely visible on the hill on a cloudy day.

15 December, 2016 - 01:00 Theodoros Karasavvas

Archaeologists Explore Incredible Ancient City in Supposed Backwater Region of Greece

A collaboration between Greek, Swedish, and British researchers has resulted in some interesting discoveries at a previously unexplored 2,500-year-old city in Thessaly, Greece. Their findings are...

19 October, 2014 - 01:43 pkoutoupis

In Search of Helen of Troy

Her face was the face that launched a thousand ships. Considered to have been the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen would be seduced by the Trojan prince, Paris and travel to his homeland of...

23 September, 2014 - 02:55 mrreese

The Dramatic Life and Death of Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons

Penthesilea was an Amazonian Queen from Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope and Melanippe. One of many famous Amazonian Queens, Penthisilea’s...

16 September, 2014 - 15:04 Miriam Kamil

The Legend of Helen of Troy – Part Two

Read Part 1 The Iliad of Homer concerns the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. Throughout this tale, Helen regrets her part in causing the war and longs to return to her husband and daughter,...

Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector in front of the gates of Troy

9 June, 2014 - 12:10 pkoutoupis

Was There Ever a Trojan War?

Was there ever a Trojan War? That is, the almost legendary battle fought between Greeks and Trojans. This question continues to go unanswered by the academic and archaeological world. If we read from...

Myths & Legends

‘Mermaid’ (1873) by Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann. Mermaid tales are popular inspirations for the arts around the world

The Bizarre Tales of Four Lesser Known English Mermaids

Mermaids are half-human, half-marine beings that have been spoken of in shanty tales for hundreds of years. Here are some of the most thrilling of those tales from English folklore.

The Life and Death of Ramesses II

The Story of Ragnarok, The Ancient Norse Apocalypse

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

The Dramatic True Story Behind Disney's Mulan

Baphomet: Was the Diabolical Demon Really Worshipped by Knights Templars?

Human Origins

Could the origins of Jewish New Year really lie in the coronation of Akhenaten? Source: On the left Jon Bodsworth. Background image Arthur Szyk / CC BY-SA 4.0

Surprising Links Between Pharaoh Akhenaten and the Jewish New Year

The origin of Jewish New Year celebrations has long been shrouded in mystery. Families around the world celebrate it during autumn with sweet delicacies, joyous prayers, and the blasting of the shofar ram’s horn.

Do you dare enter a fairy ring? The mythical mushroom portals of the supernatural

Romulus and Remus, Osiris and Moses: Are the Storytelling Similarities a Mere Coincidence?

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

From jewel-capped teeth to golden bridges – 9,000 years of dentistry

Asherah: God’s Forgotten Wife

Ancient Technology

Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword?

The Norimitsu Odachi is a huge sword from Japan. It is so large, in fact, that it was said to have been wielded by a giant. Apart from the basic knowledge of it having been forged in the 15th century AD, measuring 3.77 meters (12.37 ft.) in length, and weighing as much as 14.5 kg (31.97 lbs.), this impressive sword is shrouded in mystery.

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

The revolutionary invention of the wheel

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

Surprising Stone Age Knowledge Revealed on a Mammoth Bone Bracelet

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Places

A collection of shoes, presumably from those who have taken their lives, inside Aokigahara forest.

The Aokigahara Forest of Japan: Many Enter, But Few Walk Out Alive

The Aokigahara forest is situated on the north-western side of Japan’s famous Mount Fuji. Over the centuries, many people have entered the forest, but fewer have left it. This is because, sadly, the forest is notorious for being one of the most popular places in the world to commit suicide. As a matter of fact, the number of people taking their own lives in this forest is reported to be second only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

The Rarely Told Story of Pre-Colonial Philippines

The Judean Date Palm: Extinct Tree Resurrected from Ancient Seeds

Kyffhäusen Castle, Germany: When the Ravens Vanish, Barbarossa Will Return

Chichen Itza: Ancient Maya City Built Above A Gateway to the Underworld

The Haunted Ruins of Khara Khoto, The Black City of Mongolia

Opinion

3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis

It is perhaps the greatest unsolved mystery of all time: Did the lost city of Atlantis actually exist? And if it did once exist, where was it located before its watery demise? Fortunately, the...

Naupa Iglesia: An Egyptian Portal in the Andes?

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Mount Shasta: Spirits and Danger on a Sacred California Mountain

Mysterious Worlds: Travels to the Faerie and Shamanic Realms

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

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By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.