Connecting the dots across time
Long before billboards, the Sasanian Emperors of Persia carved their triumphs into the very mountainsides. Discover the colossal rock reliefs at Naqsh-e Rostam, where stunning carvings depict the unprecedented humiliation…
While most associate the papacy with Rome, the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt, holds a title with an equally ancient and apostolic claim. This historical position…
Long before modern insurance, an ancient Greek code governed the treacherous world of maritime trade. Discover the Rhodian Sea Law, the sophisticated legal system adopted by the Roman Empire to…
The eruption of Vesuvius famously buried Pompeii, but in the nearby town of Herculaneum, it preserved the only intact library from the classical world. The intense heat carbonized hundreds of…
Imagine a statue of the Buddha with the face of a Greek god and the robes of a Roman senator. This wasn't fantasy, but the reality of Greco-Buddhist art from…
After the fall of the Western Empire, Rome's magnificent buildings became a vast quarry for its new masters. The practice of spolia—the reuse of ancient columns, stones, and statues—is a…
Before the familiar seven-day week, the Roman world marched to a different beat: the nundinae, an eight-day cycle centered around a bustling market day. This unique rhythm did more than…
In the ancient world, a fragrant resin called frankincense was worth more than its weight in gold, fueling the rise of powerful, enigmatic kingdoms in a region the Romans called…
For a brief period each year, the rigid, pious world of the medieval Church was turned on its head. This was the Feast of Fools, a sanctioned day of chaos…
It was the ketchup of the Roman world, a pungent, savory sauce that fueled legions and graced the tables of emperors. From stinking production pits to a multi-million sesterces trade…
In 53 BC, Rome's richest man, Marcus Licinius Crassus, marched his legions into the desert seeking glory, only to find annihilation at the hands of the Parthian general Surena. The…
Among the most chilling accusations leveled against an ancient civilization is that the Carthaginians sacrificed their own children to the gods. Archaeological sites known as "Tophets", filled with thousands of…
Before Christianity dominated the Roman Empire, a mysterious Roman cult with Persian roots captivated its soldiers. Delve into the world of Mithraism, a secret brotherhood that met in underground temples…
One of the Roman Republic's most devastating conflicts was not against a foreign power, but against its own Italian allies in the Social War. This brutal clash over the rights…
Forget simple walls; the Roman Empire's Limes Germanicus was a 550km-long frontier system of forts, towers, and fences designed for control, not just defense. It was a complex zone where…
Long before modern corporations, ancient Rome had the Publicani—powerful private companies that collected taxes, supplied armies, and built the empire's infrastructure. These were not just contractors; they were the original…
From the first lumps of Lydian electrum to the powerful portraits of Roman emperors, ancient coins are miniature marvels of art and metallurgy. This journey explores the lost world of…
While the Romans read the future in the flight of birds, their Etruscan neighbors used a more visceral method: inspecting the livers of sacrificed sheep. This complex art, known as…
The Antikythera shipwreck is famous for its "Mechanism", but the vessel was also a floating gallery of priceless art. Explore the stunning bronze and marble statues, exquisite glassware, and other…
Journey to the heart of the Sahara to uncover the lost kingdom of the Garamantes. This powerful civilization mastered the desert by engineering thousands of kilometers of underground aqueducts, known…