Latest Posts
20 Ancient Greek Proverbs
Some wit and wisdom from the classical world – here are proverbs from 20 ancient Greek writers.
Three ancient cities to rival London, Paris and New York
By Zena Kamash London, Paris and New York are global cities: modern hubs for travel, technology and trade, their names and images echo…
Why Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday
The naming of the celebration as “Easter” seems to go back to the name of a pre-Christian goddess in England, Eostre, who was celebrated at beginning of spring.
Bravery in the Face of Death: Gladiatorial Games and Those Who Watched Them
The gladiatorial games – often portrayed in modern media as brutish spectacles enjoyed by bloodthirsty crowds — were rather a rule-bound sport focused on the Roman ideal of bravery in the face of death.
Philhellenism and the Invention of American History
What does the landing of the Mayflower in Plymouth have to do with the Battle of Marathon?
Ancient DNA reveals impact of the “Beaker Phenomenon” on prehistoric Europeans
In the largest study of ancient human DNA ever conducted, an international team of scientists has revealed the complex story behind one of the defining periods in European prehistory. The study is published last month in the journal Nature.
Mythbusting Ancient Rome – did all roads actually lead there?
We all know the phrase ‘all roads lead to Rome’. Today, it is used proverbially and has come to mean something like ‘there is more than one way to reach the same goal’. But did all roads ever really lead to the eternal city?
How Well Do You Know the Battle At Thermopylae?
Test your knowledge of the famous battle in 480 BC.
Agriculture initiated by indigenous peoples, not Fertile Crescent migration
Small scale agricultural farming was first initiated by indigenous communities living on Turkey’s Anatolian plateau, and not introduced by migrant farmers as previously thought, according to new research by the University of Liverpool.
Can You Name The Greek Version Of The Roman Gods?
Jupiter, Pluto and Diana are the names of Roman gods. What are their Greek equivalents?
TravelAll posts
EXHIBITS – Defining Beauty: The Body in Ancient Greek Art
My review of the British Museum’s – Defining Beauty: The Body in Ancient Greek Art which explores daily life, gender, sexuality, athleticism, heroism, and the social and political ideologies the Greeks espoused through their views on the human form.
NewsAll posts
Basel papyrus is an ancient medical text, researchers find
Since the 16th century, Basel has been home to a mysterious papyrus. With mirror writing on both sides, it has puzzled generations of researchers.
Research network sheds new light on drinking and eating habits in the Roman world
The landmark 50th issue of the journal Internet Archaeology is featuring pioneering research that is investigating new ways of analysing millions of Roman artefacts associated with the consumption of food and drink.
Ancient human remains and a medieval mystery unearthed in southern England
Excavation of a Bronze Age burial mound in south west England leads to the discovery of an intact 4,000 year old human cremation as well as evidence of unaccountable activity from the medieval period on the same site.
2,100-year-old ‘hawk’ mummy actually a stillborn baby, scan reveals
A tiny Egyptian mummy long believed to be that of a hawk is actually a rare example of a near-to-term, severely malformed fetus
BooksAll posts
BOOKS: Hot New Ancient History Releases!: January
If improving your reading is your goal for 2016, you’ve come to the right place! Here are our hot new ancient history releases for January!
New Releases: Ancient Books for the Holiday Season!
A few new releases for the historian on your shopping list!
The Death of Caesar: New Light on History’s Most Famous Assassination
Barry Strauss talks about his new book The Death of Caesar: The Story of History’s Most Famous Assassination.
The Tears of Re: Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt
In these four videos, Gene Kritsky, author of The Tears of Re, talks about beekeeping in Ancient Egypt
New Open Access Book on Vergil’s Political Commentary
Leendert Weeda examines Vergil’s political views by analyzing the whole of the poet’s work and introduces the notion of the functional model, which suggests that the poet does not primarily have a literary objective, but a functional one.
Fall of Roman Empire can be explained by biology, researcher says
Forget the Vandals – the fall of the Roman Empire can be explained by biology, according to a new book.