The Olmec civilization is counted amongst the first major ‘cradles’ of civilizations in the world. It developed in the low-lying lands of Southeast Mexico. The Olmecs were believed to have existed between 1200 Before Common Era (BCE) and 500 Common Era (CE). While little is known about the civilization itself, the Olmec Colossal Heads found […]
Olmec Colossal Heads: Everything You Need to Know Read More »
Ancient Rome was full of huge personalities. Just like in modern times, there are people in power who do their job and aren’t really all that entertaining, while others are so bold and inflammatory that we can’t stop talking about them. It was the same for Rome–maybe even more so. Rulers came and went, but
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It’s immediately clear from even a brief reading of history that humans have long had a knack for devising methods of torture and execution. Imagine a world where the fate of criminals extended far beyond the gallows. Where the condemned found themselves trapped in a metal cage, hanging in chains for all to see. This
Gibbeting: A History of a Gruesome Form of Public Execution Read More »
The world of Ancient Greece was steeped in religious and cultural traditions of all kinds. Festivals and rituals played a central role in everyday life. The Great Dionysia was one such festival. In ancient Athens, the celebration was a time of revelry, theater, and religious devotion. For several days each spring, the city would come
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Evaluating generalship is often a practice of choosing arbitrary values to rank. Military historians will argue infinitely over the relative merits of one leader over another. Ranking Roman generals is not immune to this kind of controversy. Sun Tzu provides us with some guidance: “Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy’s troops without any fighting;
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Morpheus is one of the lesser-known Greek gods. He was associated with sleep and dreams. Ovid The first surviving literary reference to Morpheus is found in Metamorphoses, the magnum opus of the Roman poet Ovid. The title translates to Transformations. Born Publius Ovidius Naso in the year 43 BC, Ovid dedicated decades of his life
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Ares is the Greek god of war. Battle personified, Ares represented many of the more gruesome aspects of warfare. Unlike his sister Athena, who was associated with calm strategy, Ares was all battle frenzy and violence. He wasn’t particularly popular with the Greeks, and even his family disliked him. He found much more success with
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Apollo was a god revered by both the Greeks and the Romans. He is the only one of the pantheon to be called by the same name in both cultures. He was seen as the perfect man: wise, powerful, and eternally young. Apollo was peaceful – at least, more so than most of the volatile
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The Longyou Caves in Zhejiang, China are one of the little-known wonders of the world. This complex of ancient man-made caves was discovered over thirty years ago. It has since become a popular tourist attraction, but the original purpose of these massive caverns remains a mystery. Discovering the Longyou Caves For centuries, villagers living near
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When people talk about war, they immediately relate it to the use of guns and other available weapons at the time. While this is not necessarily incorrect, war is not limited to one type of physical violence. Guns and ammunition are just one element of war. It also involves complex political strategies and intricate tactical
11 Cases of Psychological Warfare Throughout History Read More »
