If you bring up the time in which ancient Greek civilization dominated the Eastern Mediterranean, roughly between the sixth and third centuries BC, an individual would have a pretty clear view of that period. This view will undoubtedly involve the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon standing atop it. It might include the great temples …
History is littered with traitors who sold their countries or families for personal gain. But unfortunately, for some people, greed and power overrule loyalty. Every country has fallen prey to someone who has switched sides for their gain. It doesn’t matter if it’s money or political power promised to them. People have seen fit to …
Between the third century BC and the fifth century AD, the city of Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great and sitting at the mouth of the River Nile Delta in northern Egypt, was one of the greatest cities in the world. While Rome grew to become the political center of the Mediterranean world, Alexandria was …
There is a tale about how the famed Spartans of Ancient Greece brought their children into the world. Whenever a child was born, it was brought quickly before the Gerousia, the council of 30 men who essentially ruled the city-state. The Gerousia would then decide if the child was healthy or not worthy of being …
The city-states of ancient Greece were vital for the grand and expansive civilization to thrive in the way it did. Known as a ‘polis’, an independent city-state represented an organized and structured community. It was like a mini-city, with its own urban area center and then rural countryside around the outside. Many even had protective …
While each culture has its own pantheon, the Ancient Greek gods are among the best known in the world today. This is because the Greek gods played an essential role in ancient Greece, shaping its history and encouraging its people toward excellence in every aspect of life. Whether for worshipping or asking for advice, the …
Who Were the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece? Read More »
The story of Medusa is a tragic one, and her backstory isn’t one that myths often reveal. She was once a beautiful and powerful woman, but the Gods turned her into a monster despite her inability to control the events in her life. What exactly happened to cause her transformation? Let’s take a closer look …
The Tragic Tale of Medusa: From Beautiful Priestess to Monsterous Gorgon Read More »
A famous saying attributed to Gorgo, the daughter of King Cleomenes I, a fifth-century BC king of Sparta. When asked by a woman from Attica, the region of eastern Greece dominated by the city of Athens, why Spartan women were the only ones in all of Greece who held such power within their polis or city-state, Gorgo …
Only two things in life are certain, opined the great American statesman Benjamin Franklin, death and taxes. Yet these are two things that we often forget to ask ourselves about in past societies like ancient Greece and Rome. So this is not the forum for discussing how ancient taxes were levied and collected, but rather …
What Were the Most Common Causes of Death in Ancient Greece and Rome? Read More »
The modern world is unusual compared to almost all other societies in its approach to drug use, intoxication, and altered states. Other than those that pharmaceutical companies utilize, most narcotics today are illegal in nearly all jurisdictions. Alcohol, one of the most dangerous narcotics known to humanity, is the only narcotic generally freely available in …
What Drug Use Was Like In Ancient Greece and Rome Read More »
