Inspiring millions to understand
our shared human past

Centuries before movie and television audiences thrilled to tales of werewolves, vampires and wizards and Halloween became the second biggest celebration of the year, the ancient Greeks and Romans were spinning scary stories about monsters, ghosts and the afterlife… [continue reading]

An archaeological excavation at Poggio Colla, the site of a 2,700-year-old Etruscan settlement in Italy’s Mugello Valley, has turned up a surprising and unique find: two images of a woman giving birth to a child. Researchers from… [continue reading]

For a long time I felt that the “community” part of Ancient History Encyclopedia was still in need of improvement. Yes, the content is all contributed by the community… but a community means interaction. Therefore I’m happy to announce that we now have more communication features! Whenever somebody post a comment on your content, or…

A reconstruction based on the skull of Norway’s best-preserved Stone Age skeleton makes it possible to study the features of a boy who lived in Scandinavia 7,500 years ago. “It is hoped that this reconstruction is a good likeness and that, if someone… [continue reading]

The anatomy of a mercenary: from Archilochoas to Alexander By Nicholas Fields PhD Dissertation, University of Newcastle, 1994 Abstract: Xenophon, who marched so many perilous Persian parasangs as a soldier-of-fortune and survived… [continue reading]

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor: Minoans and Mycenaeans abroad By Eric H. Cline Aegaeum, Vol.12 (1995) Introduction: In 1984, exactly ten years ago, at a conference in Athens on the ‘Function of the Minoan Palaces&#8217… [continue reading]

Classical Precariousness vs. Modern Risk: Lessons in Prudence from the Battle of Salamis By Ernest Sternberg Humanitas, Vol.18:1-2 (2005) Introduction: On September 19, 480 B.C., the ancient… [continue reading]

For those of you who are interested in the Hellenistic era or late Republican Rome, please be sure to read this National Geographic Magazine article on the infamous Queen Cleopatra VII, published in their July 2011 issue. Click here to access the article.

This week, exciting news has emerged from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. An article in the Times of India has reported that Roman pottery remains have been discovered in the village of Naduvirapattu, located outside the city of Tambaram. In ancient times, Tamil Nadu lay at the nexus of overseas trade between East…