A brief journey into medical care and disease in ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians suffered from a variety of diseases, both congenital and acquired, which developed as a result of their
cultural practices and environment.
Forerunners of the Hattusili-Ramesses treaty
The Hattusili-Ramesses treaty is known from two main sources. These are texts in Egyptian hieroglyphs preserved on the walls of the temple of Amun at Karnak and of the Ramesseum, and of some fragmentary cuneiform tablets in Akkadian, discovered at the Hittite capital of Hattusa, the modern site of Boghazk
The failed reforms of Akhenaten and Muwatalli
Though Aten as a form of the Sun-god Re was venerated long before the ascent of Akhenaten, his ele- vation to a prominent status is clearly associated with the heretic king. There have been many attempts to detect the underlying causes for his avatar, but, as concluded by Barry Kemp,
The Babylonian Akitu Festival: Rectifying the King or Renewing the Cosmos?
The Babylonian Akitu festival has played a pivotal role in the development of theories of religion, myth and ritual
The Remains of Alexander the Great: The God, The King, The Symbol
Alexander, suffering for several days before his death, knew his end was imminent. This knowledge did not urge him to name an official successor, but he did request a burial site: the temple of Zeus-Ammon in the Siwah oasis in northern Africa, where he was addressed as the son of Ammon.
Why Did Nebuchadnezzar II Destroy Ashkelon in Kislev 604 B.C.E.?
The significance of the discovery of a destruction layer at Ashkelon, identified with the Babylonian assault in Kislev, 604 B.C.E, can hardly be overestimated.
The Elusive Tomb of Alexander
Egyptologist and former ARCHA EOLOGY contributing editor Robert S. Bianchi wrote two articles for us on the many expeditions–scientific and fringe–that have tried to find the location of Alexander’s final resting place.
The death of Alexander the Great
Alexander, King of Macedonia, conqueror of the Persian empire, died in Babylon at sunset on the 10th of June, 323 BC. He was not yet 33 years old, had been king for 12 years and 8 months and had shown himself to be fully deserving of the title.
Virginity in Ancient Mesopotamia
‘A virgin body has the freshness of secret springs, the morning sheen of an unopened flower, the orient luster of a pearl on which the sun has never shone. Grotto, temple, sanctuary, secret garden – man, like the child, is fascinated by enclosed and shadowy places not yet animated by any consciousness, which wait to be given a soul: what he alone is to take and to penetrate seems to be in truth created by him.’
Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis
Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases.