A collection of great stories that teach, inform, and inspire millions of readers.

Exclusively authored by academics. Trusted by scholars and classrooms.

ANCIENT HISTORY

View All Posts
Roman gladiators fighting
How Roman Gladiator Schools Recruited, Trained, and Controlled Fighters
6 hours ago • Mike Cohen
Persian King Darius III
The Tragic Downfall of the Last Great Persian King Darius III
7 hours ago • Neil Middleton
How Paleolithic Hunters and Ice Age Wolves Formed an Evolutionary Alliance

Around 30,000 BC, paleolithic wolves formed a beneficial relationship with humans that would eventually lead to modern dogs.

8 Largest Armies of the Ancient World From Rome to China

Even in the ancient period, some empires could deploy large armies of hundreds of thousands of men to defeat and destroy their enemies.

How Ostrogoths Created a Kingdom in Italy From the Ashes of Roman Civilization

Theodoric's Ostrogothic Kingdom rose from Rome's ashes. How did one man's violent ambition lead to an era of surprising peace and cooperation?

Follow your Favorite Topics.

Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter

The 7 Most Magnificent Buildings by Sir Christopher Wren
The 7 Most Magnificent Buildings by Sir Christopher Wren
15 minutes ago • Jimmy Chen
post wwii denazification germany
Post-WWII Denazification in Germany: An Overview
a day ago • Tsira Shvangiradze
4 Legendary WWII Warships That Altered Global History

Like the Great War, World War II produced great ships, both Axis and Allied. These individual ships, which took part in actions, triumphs, or even losses, helped change the war.

A Side-by-Side Comparison of WWII Spending

How much did WWII cost its combatants? See a side-by-side comparison of military spending by the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union, adjusted for today's inflation.

How Did the 1683 Siege of Vienna Redraw the Map of Europe?

The Siege of Vienna in 1683 was a turning point in European history that led to the emergence of new national borders.

 
Roman Emperors
View Posts

PHILOSOPHY

View All Posts
Illustration of a silhouette head containing stairs inside.
Does Science Actually Describe Reality? Putnam vs. Van Fraassen
a day ago • Magnus Wijkander
Close-up of a microscope with laboratory gloved hands.
Why Nancy Cartwright Says Science Has No Fundamental Laws
2 days ago • Magnus Wijkander
Post-Modern Stoics? The Revival of Stoicism in the Late 20th Century

The unexpected revival of Stoicism, from Foucault to Deleuze, as a modern tool for self-care, political resistance, and an authentic life.

Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus: Key Similarities and Differences

Existentialists Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus were once friends, but differences ultimately ended their friendship.

Nietzsche’s Demon: Why We Need to Revaluate All Our Values

In The Gay Science, Nietzsche proposes a radical idea that paves the way for an entirely different understanding of life.

ART & ARTISTS

View All Posts
eva hesse life and important works
7 Artworks by Eva Hesse That Redefined Modern Sculpture
4 hours ago • Kristen Osborne-Bartucca
Illustration of gothic churches alongside Big Ben.
How Victorian Gothic Turned Medieval Style Into Moral Architecture
a day ago • Caroline Nicholson
10 English Words With Arabic Origins

Discover the roots of ten words that came into the English language from Arabic.

7 Most Famous Renaissance Paintings Inspired by Mythology

Thousands of years after their emergence, classical myths still excite us. Mythology surrounds us, and our fascination with Renaissance art keeps this love alive.

What Makes the Madonna of Bruges a Unique Michelangelo Masterpiece?

Despite the turmoil of the French Revolution and the Second World War, the Madonna of Bruges stands today as one of Michelangelo’s most breathtaking masterpieces.

TRAVEL & CULTURE

View All Posts
Man looking at Starry Night with Van Gogh foreground
Where to Find Van Gogh’s Most Iconic Paintings Worldwide
9 days ago • Laura Pattara
Stone arches framing a lake in São Miguel, Azores
The Historic Sites of São Miguel, the Largest of the Azores Islands
13 days ago • Inês Tito
10 Ancient Cities That You Can Still Visit Today

From Roman grid cities to lost desert fortresses, these ancient cities offer a rare chance to explore history where it actually happened.

These Are the Museums With Vermeer’s Most Famous Paintings

He left barely three dozen paintings and died broke and overlooked. Two centuries on, hunting down Vermeer’s masterpieces is half the experience.

Where to Find Van Gogh’s Most Iconic Paintings Worldwide

Van Gogh sold one painting and died penniless at 37. The work he couldn’t give away now hangs in the world’s biggest museums.

historical map

Download Free Historical Maps
for Students, Classrooms & More!

High-Quality, Printable Cartographic Resources

View Maps
megiddo ishtar feature
Which Biblical Cities Have Archaeologists Actually Discovered?
10 days ago • Eljoh Hartzer
moabite stone feature
What Does the Moabite Stone Reveal About the Kingdom of Israel?
11 days ago • Eljoh Hartzer
How 2,000 Years of Western Art Redefined the Depiction of Eve

From medieval shame to modern empowerment, trace how changing cultural views shaped the depiction of Eve across 2,000 years of Western art.

What Does the Moabite Stone Reveal About the Kingdom of Israel?

An ancient black basalt slab carved by King Mesha offers rare insight into the Kingdom of Israel.

Which Biblical Cities Have Archaeologists Actually Discovered?

Archaeology has brought ancient Scripture to life by unearthing real destruction layers, inscriptions, and monumental walls across the Levant.

Lesser known wonders of the ancient world
7 Lesser-Known Wonders of the Ancient World You Can Still Visit
15 days ago • Alexandra Doyle
partisans eastern europe anti nazi
7 Lesser-Known Special Forces of World War II
21 days ago • Owen Rust
7 Lesser-Known Special Forces of World War II

During World War II, both the Allied and Axis powers used special forces units to accomplish specific tasks. What are some lesser-known special forces?

Blue Fugates: The True Story of Kentucky’s Blue People

The Blue Fugates of Troublesome Creek baffled science for decades, until a rare mutation that caused the color was discovered.

7 Lesser-Known Wonders of the Ancient World You Can Still Visit

All but one of the so-called Seven Wonders of the Ancient World disappeared long ago, but you can still visit these lesser-known ancient wonders.

Using Thucydides to Understand Modern Politics with Neville Morley (PODCAST)
Using Thucydides to Understand Modern Politics with Neville Morley (PODCAST)
Reading the Iliad Through an Environmental Lens with Edith Hall
Reading the Iliad Through an Environmental Lens with Edith Hall
What Stoicism and Skepticism Teach Us Today with Massimo Pigliucci (PODCAST)
What Stoicism and Skepticism Teach Us Today with Massimo Pigliucci (PODCAST)

For Interview Inquiries, contact Public Relations