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7 Largest Empires of the Ancient World That Shaped History

From the western shores of Iberia to the eastern coasts of China, the ancient world was full of vast empires that left their legacy on world history.

How Women Lived and Worked in Ancient Mesopotamia

From Sumer to Assyria and beyond, women played a significant role in the societies of ancient Mesopotamia.

The Persian King Darius III Who Fought Against Alexander the Great

The story of Darius III, the last king of Achaemenid Persia, was much greater than just losing Persia to Alexander the Great.

ANCIENT HISTORY

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Six Portraits of Roman Emperors
These Six Roman Emperors Defined the Ancient World
an hour ago • Phil Jones
Two classical paintings depicting Aeneas and souls in the Underworld
7 Realms of the Dead in Greek Mythology
3 days ago • Greg Beyer
7 Largest Empires of the Ancient World That Shaped History

From the western shores of Iberia to the eastern coasts of China, the ancient world was full of vast empires that left their legacy on world history.

How Women Lived and Worked in Ancient Mesopotamia

From Sumer to Assyria and beyond, women played a significant role in the societies of ancient Mesopotamia.

The Persian King Darius III Who Fought Against Alexander the Great

The story of Darius III, the last king of Achaemenid Persia, was much greater than just losing Persia to Alexander the Great.

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6 Major Port Cities of the Spanish Empire
13 hours ago • Patrick Bodovitz
cahokia artists rendition
The Story of Cahokia, the Largest Native American City North of Mexico
20 hours ago • Matthew Powell
Why Is Ireland Divided Between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland?

The island of Ireland was partitioned by the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. A century later, the island remains divided despite efforts at reunification.

Why Voltaire Said the Holy Roman Empire Was Neither Holy Nor Roman Nor an Empire

Voltaire called the Holy Roman Empire “neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire.” Was he right? We put this iconic insult to the historical test.

How the Fall of Rome Created the Power of the Medieval Papacy

After the fall of Rome in the 5th century, the papacy began to gain influence in the Western World, shaping the politics, culture, and society of the Early Middle Ages.

 
Roman Emperors
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PHILOSOPHY

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Person standing on a mountain peak with existentialist text
How Stoicism Can Help You Deal With Everyday Problems
a day ago • Igor Zanetti
Engraved portrait with electric energy background
How Empedocles Used Love and Strife to Explain the Universe
3 days ago • Viktoriya Sus
The Ancient Yet Relevant Morning Routine of Emperor Marcus Aurelius

One of the most famous Stoic philosophers and the emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius, was known for giving the utmost importance to his morning routine.

10 Most Important Modern Philosophers Everyone Should Know

Here are ten Modern philosophers everyone should know, figures whose works not only defined their own era, but continue to influence how we think today.

6 Exercises to Practice Stoicism in a Stressful World

Stoicism is a timeless philosophical school that can guide us in living a happier, more peaceful life, even when times are stressful.

ART & ARTISTS

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sandro botticelli primavera painting
What Is Depicted in Botticelli’s “Primavera”? An Enigmatic Renaissance Painting
4 days ago • Daphne Bika
Clara Schumann, Dmitri Shostakovich, and George Gershwin
6 Composers Who Changed the Course of Music History
6 Composers Who Changed the Course of Music History

Know your Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven already? Read about some other composers whose lives and works changed the course of music history.

Dadaism: 12 Iconic Artworks From The Dada Art Movement

The Dada period rebelled against the dominant political and cultural narrative. Here are major Dadaist paintings, sculptures, and collages.

Expressionism: 12 Iconic Paintings & Their Artists

Expressionism used broad brush strokes, bright colors, and abstract styles to express rather than depict reality.

TRAVEL & CULTURE

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historic towns near phoenix arizona
10 Must-Visit Historic Towns Near Phoenix, Arizona
2 days ago • Gabriel Kirellos
mouseion matera first inhabited museum
This Inhabited Museum in Matera Lets You Live in the Ancient World
13 days ago • Antonis Chaliakopoulos
The World’s 10 Most Significant Ancient Sites to See in Your Lifetime

From pyramids and temples to lost jungle cities, these ten ancient monuments remain among the greatest achievements of early civilizations.

7 Historic Cities to Visit in Albania

After a traumatic period under Communist rule, Albania is rapidly becoming a European tourist hotspot and welcomes travelers seeking to discover its diverse history.

10 Must-Visit Historic Towns Near Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona has history, but the real stories are a short drive away. Discover old mining towns, frontier streets, and landmarks that built Arizona.

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Why Did Origen of Alexandria Risk Everything to Study Hebrew
6 days ago • Ryan Watson
Seraphim angel collage over Hagia Sophia
The Mysterious Angels of the Hagia Sophia and Their Rediscovery
7 days ago • Joslyn Felicijan
The Mysterious Angels of the Hagia Sophia and Their Rediscovery

Under the highest dome of the Hagia Sophia are the seraphim mosaics. Rediscovered within the last 20 years, these 700-year-old mosaics depict the highest-ranking angels.

What Is the Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer?

Reciting the Lord’s Prayer is a spiritual discipline common to all denominations and traditions in the Christian faith. But what does it mean?

How Ancient Peoples Forged The World’s First Religions

Thousands of years ago, local traditions evolved into organized religion, shaping history as they developed, and leaving a lasting legacy on humankind.

Mary Shelley beside a painting of Percy Bysshe Shelley's funeral pyre
The Life and Genius of Mary Shelley, the Literary Giant Who Wrote Frankenstein
18 days ago • Dr. Victoria C. Roskams
ancient china silk manufacturing ink silk road
The Secret History of Silk in Ancient China
22 days ago • Mike Cohen
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.

What was the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa?

The Black Consciousness Movement was a resistance movement during the apartheid era that restored the dignity of black South Africans.

The Counterculture Hippie Movement of the 1960s and 1970s

The counterculture movement was the result of a generation that rejected social norms and traditional ways of previous decades.

A funerary veil showing the deceased holding a papyrus roll, standing between Osiris and AnubisThe Little-Known Story of Alexandria’s Antique University (with Kholoud Shawky)
Rethinking the Samurai with British Museum ExpertsRethinking the Samurai with British Museum Experts
museo-reina-sofia-manuel-segadeReina Sofía’s Director Explains How the Museum Highlights “Forgotten” Artists

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