Author: James Wiener

Ancient Mesopotamia: Inventing and Reinventing Our World

Published by James Wiener

Three successive civilizations — Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian — flourished along the “Fertile Crescent” in ancient Mesopotamia for thousands of years. Renown for their creativity, dynamism, and complexity, these cultures also provide the earliest models of civilization in the West. This fall, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Canada is celebrating the remarkable achievements and artistic sophistication of ancient Mesopotamia in a landmark exhibition: Mesopotamia: Inventing Our World. In this interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks to Dr. Clemens Reichel, Associate Curator at the ROM, about the importance of these civilizations, and of how we can better assess and understand their legacy in modern times.

AHE Listed as an “Indispensable Resource” for Online Academic Research

Published by James Wiener

We are excited to announce that the Ancient History Encyclopedia has been listed as one of 105 Indispensable Resources for Online Research by OnlinePhDProgram.org. Academic research is at the heart of any masters or doctoral program of study. While in-depth research was once confined to reference libraries and organizations with access to copies of academic journals, much of the work of original research can now be done virtually. Major repositories of academic research — like JSTOR and LexisNexis — can be searched comprehensively online, and even Google has an easy-to-use scholarly search engine. Online libraries, journals, databases, and academic search engines are great resources for graduate students, as well as people at any level of education who are conducing research projects. OnlinePhDProgram.org is dedicated to helping future doctoral candidates find the right program that meets their needs, desires, and goals. Their site offers helpful blog posts, articles, and a wealth of other information that can answer your questions about doctoral programs. We thank them for their inclusion of AHE in their list!

AHE Recommended by Tijdschrift Origine

Published by James Wiener

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the Ancient History Encyclopedia (AHE) was recently profiled and recommended by the prominent Dutch fine arts magazine, Tijdschrift Origine (Nummer 3 2012, Jaargang 21). Based in Haarlem, Tijdschrift Origine provides independent, expert analyses on the international art sector, covering antiques, design, art history, and the protection of cultural patrimony. We applaud and thank them for helping bring increased public attention to the fine and applied arts, worldwide. Here is part of the review in Dutch: “On the internet is a new virtual encyclopedia for old (art) history: the Ancient History Encyclopedia. The English language site is fully independent and relies primarily on volunteers and voluntary contributions. Within the site are many articles as well as encyclopedic entries about classical antiquity. AHE also provides historical maps on their site. [The Ancient History Encyclopedia’s] search engine provides several specific searches by topic, time period, architecture, wars and battles. In preparing this [précis], ORIGINE counted 381 articles and more than 2,000 images. Of course, that number is rapidly growing. Furthermore, there …

Meet the Tarascans: Fierce Foes of the Aztecs

Published by James Wiener

At the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico (1519-1521 CE), two empires dominated the political and cultural landscape of Mesoamerica: the Aztec Empire and the relatively unknown Tarascan State. The Tarascans were the archenemies of the Aztecs, carving an empire of their own in the contemporary Mexican states of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Querétaro, Colima, and Jalisco. At the center of the Tarascan State was the splendid capital city of Tzintzuntzan–“the place of the hummingbirds”–located alongside Lake Pátzcuaro. From this religious and administrative center, the Tarascan cazonci or “king” ruled a multiethnic empire of 72,500 square kilometers (45,000 square miles), matching the Aztecs in might and power. In this exclusive interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks to Dr. Claudia Espejel Carbajal — professor of History at El Colegio de Michoacán (COLMICH) — an expert on Tarascan ethnohistory and archaeology.

Support AHE through Reading!

Published by James Wiener

If you love reading AHE’s definitions, articles, and special features, you should know that you can order books on ancient history and support us directly! Books on multiple subjects can be bought through AHE’s book section via Amazon (US/UK) or Book Depository (which offers free international delivery). With every book order, AHE receives a small commission of around 5%, helping us provide you with the best, free ancient history content on the web. Take a look at our book search and compare prices to get the best deal. We provide the listing and link to Amazon or Book Depository, where you finalize your purchase(s). Thank you for your support and happy reading!

Drink of the Gods: Wine in the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean

Published by James Wiener

A symbol of fertility, immortality, and divinity, wine was the favored drink of choice across the ancient Near East and Mediterranean. Wine is mentioned frequently in biblical scriptures, and was used for everyday purposes in cooking and medicine. In this exclusive interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks to Mr. Joel Butler, co-author of Divine Vintage: Following the Wine Trail from Genesis to the Modern Age, about the religious, cultural, and social importance of wine across the centuries.

Reconstructing Angkor Wat through Fiction

Published by James Wiener

Shrouded in mystery and lure, the Khmer city of Angkor is one of the most mesmerizing places in the world. Founded around the year 800 CE by Jayavarman II (c. 770-850 CE), Angkor was the center of the powerful Khmer kingdom, which dominated much of what is present-day Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, and Vietnam until the 15th century CE. At its height, Angkor was one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated cities in the world, crowned by a stunning architectural achievement: the temple complex of Angkor Wat. In this feature interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks to Mr. John Burgess — the author of A Woman of Angkor and former Washington Post foreign correspondent — about his new novel, the intricacies of ancient Khmer court culture, and why he has spent his life exploring the ruins of Khmer civilization.

Sublime Sicily: A Hellenic Gem in Antiquity

Published by James Wiener

Sicily evokes the fiery majesty Mt. Etna, the wine-dark hues of the surrounding sea, and the delicious flavors of arancini and limoncello. Situated at a pivotal intersection between Greece, Italy, and North Africa, Sicily is not only the largest island in the Mediterranean, but the site of over 5,000 years of human history. Few are aware, however, that Sicily experienced a spectacular golden age from the fifth century to the third century BCE, while under the rule of ancient Greek émigrés. Enriched by its immense agricultural bounty, the sociocultural milieu of Hellenic and Hellenistic Sicily was diverse and innovative, rivaling the sophistication and refinement of the “mother country” during its classical apex. Sicily: Art and Invention between Greece and Rome — an exhibition at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, California — presents the grandeur and glory of ancient Sicily or “Sikelia” in all its complexity, beauty, and ingenuity. In this exclusive interview with the Ancient History Encyclopedia, James Blake Wiener speaks to Dr. Alexandra Sofroniew, co-curator of the exhibition, about Sicily’s special role in …

The Ancient Shards of Central American Art and History

Published by James Wiener

Like the Central Valley of Mexico and the Andes of South America, Central America has been home to dynamic and sophisticated civilizations for thousands of years. A series of distinct cultures left behind remarkable ceramic objects, which attest to considerable wealth, intricate belief systems, and singular artistic achievements. Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed — a bilingual (English/Español) exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington D.C. — explores seven ancient regions of Central America, encompassing modern Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Examining the vibrancy of Central America’s diverse ancestral heritage with a broad selection of objects, this exhibition also underscores the interconnectedness of Central America’s pre-Columbian peoples with their Mesoamerican, Caribbean, and South American neighbors. In this exclusive interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks to Dr. Alexander V. Benitez, co-curator of the exhibition and director of the Smithsonian Latino Center sponsored Central American Ceramics Research Project (CACRP), about the exceptional artifacts featured in the exhibition.