Ancient / Classical History

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Ancient / Classical History

August

08/19/08 - Lives of the Caesars Review
Lives of the Caesars is a great treat for those who already know the general outline of the history of the Roman Empire. It delves deeply into the reigns of 12 emperors in bite-sized (roughly 25 page) chapters. You can read Lives of the Caesars to sample 13 top scholars in the field, to read those scholars' unique interpretations, or to learn about the emperors and their times.

08/19/08 - Alaric Quiz
Quiz on Alaric and the sack of Rome.

08/18/08 - Names of Rome
As if it's not confusing enough that ancient Rome refers to a city and an empire, over the centuries, it has attracted descriptive titles as well. Here are some of the names which signify "Rome".

08/16/08 - City of Rome
Monuments and special places in the ancient city of Rome.

08/15/08 - Origins of the Swastika
Folklore about the ancient charm and religious symbol now associated with the Nazis.

08/14/08 - Clement of Alexandria
A short glossary entry identifying the early Christian theologian Clement of Alexandria.

08/12/08 - Vedas
Basic glossary-type information on these articles of Hindu scripture.

08/09/08 - Brahmanism
Basic glossary-type information on Brahmanism.

08/09/08 - Caste System
Basic glossary-type information on the stratification known as the caste system.

08/09/08 - Greek Mummy
A 1700-year-old Thracian mummy has been found that shows signs of Egyptian mummification techniques.

08/07/08 - Why Didn't Women Participate in the Ancient Olympics?
With the advent of equal rights amendments and whatnot, it is no longer seemingly obvious that women should have been excluded from the ancient Olympics and shuffled off into their own games, but think about professional sports. How many women play in professional U.S.-style football? At any rate, in case, you're interested, here are my ideas on why women were excluded from the ancient Olympic games.

08/06/08 - What Is the Origin of the Ancient Olympics?
A look at the explanations the Greeks made for the start of the ancient Olympic Games.

08/06/08 - Ancient Roman History Books
My recommendations on various topics. Some are classics in ancient Roman history.

08/04/08 - Rose Williams' Once Upon the Tiber
Rose Williams' history of Rome for school kids contains all the main details from founding to Fall accompanied by a great deal of humor.

08/02/08 - Latin Verbs With Prae- (Pre-) Prefix
Here is a list of many of the Latin verbs with a prae-prefix. Where these verbs come into English, the prae- prefix becomes pre-.

July

07/30/08 - Cheating at the Ancient Olympics
Cheating was less common at the ancient Olympics than one might think. Here are some of the known cheaters.

07/29/08 - Review of Adrian Murdoch's The Last Pagan
In The Last Pagan: Julian the Apostate and the Death of the Ancient World, historian and journalist Adrian Murdoch explores the other late Roman emperor everyone should know, Flavius Claudius Julianus (332-363).

07/28/08 - Sinis
Sinis is one of the interesting villains Theseus encounters early on in his career and voyage from Troezen to Athens.

07/25/08 - Antikythera Mechanism
Basic information about a bronze clockwork-like mechanism from about 100-150 B.C.

07/24/08 - Greek Heroes Portraits
Pictures of the main Greek heroes.

07/23/08 - Which Greek Hero Are You?
You've taken the Greek heroes quiz and know who all the heroes are. Now find out which one you're most like.

07/21/08 - Greek Heroes Quiz
While you may know the Greek heroes in general, this quiz forces you to distinguish among them.

07/16/08 - Essenes
The Essenes, presumed writers of the Dead Sea scrolls, were a Jewish group in the Second Temple Period who lived ascetically in a monastic community.

07/14/08 - Which Greek Goddess Are You Quiz
Which goddess from Greek mythology do you most closely resemble? Are you the goddess of love? ow about war? Answer these questions and find out on this not-to-be-taken seriously personality quiz.

07/13/08 - Colosseum Quiz
Short self-grading quiz on the Roman colosseum.

07/11/08 - Cornelia
Cornelia (Mother of the Gracchi) added to the most beautiful women in the ancient world.

07/10/08 - Scipio Africanus
Basic information on the Roman victor of the Second Punic War.

07/10/08 - Cato the Elder
Basic information on Cato the Elder, the great-grandfather of Caesar's opponent.

07/07/08 - Vision of Gabriel
The Vision of Gabriel is the name some apply to a 30x90 cm tablet with a messianic message from the first century B.C.

07/03/08 - The Return of Ulysses, by Edith Hall - Review
One of the main points of The Return of Ulysses is that Homer's Odyssey has had such an enormous impact on us that we've been influenced by him if we ever went to school, watched television, went to the movies, or read.

June

06/28/08 - Saqqara
Glossary entry for the Saqqara Plateau in Egypt.

06/25/08 - Odyssey Paintings
Oil paintings and vase paintings based on scenes described in the Odyssey.

06/23/08 - How to Read Latin Adjectives
An answer to a question on how to read the dictionary entry for Latin adjectives.

06/23/08 - Magic in the Ancient Greek World, by Derek Collins - Review
Review of Derek Collins' Magic in the Ancient Greek World. It starts with an introduction to the anthropological study of magic, proceeds to the 5th and 4th century in Athens, the Sacred Disease (epilepsy), Pre-socratics, binding magic, legislation, and incantations.

06/22/08 - Ostraka
Glossary entry on the sherds of pottery used for votes and more.

06/21/08 - Binding Magic
Glossary entry on a type of magic used for love or cursing.

06/21/08 - Ancient Important People Trivia Quiz
This set of 12 questions on a Javascript quiz ask questions at various levels. Even if you know very little about ancient history, you may be pleased to find you do know something. Some of the questions are pretty sticky. At least one question has added details in the question to help you pick the logical or chronologically plausible answer. Enjoy!

06/20/08 - Ancient Literature Quiz
On this quiz, you answer questions about Greek and Latin drama, poetry, and prosody. Ten questions are available, but there are shorter options. The questions are randomized. This is a test in the stuff I like best. The word from one of my forum-regular testers is that it's hard.

06/19/08 - Ancient Literature: Authors and Titles Quiz
In this quiz you match up authors with the titles of their works. Most are Roman and extend into the Christian era. I find this a hard test. My forum-regular testers did not.

06/13/08 - Famous Ancient People
Here's a list of the people you really should know if you're studying Ancient/Classical history.

06/11/08 - Famous Ancient Epileptics
Some of the famous ancient people who suffered from Hercules' disease.

06/08/08 - Always I am Caesar, by Jeffrey Tatum - Review
Tatum has something on Julius Caesar for everyone, from a refresher on the social and political structure of Republican Rome, to a new slant on the significance of Caesar's famous dying words, to a comparison between Caesar and notable modern leaders. Since the material is taken from public lectures, the prose flows like that of engaging modern professor or storyteller.

06/07/08 - Giza FAQs
What Is the Great Sphinx?
How Tall Was the Great Pyramid?
For Which Pharaoh Was the Great Pyramid Built?

06/06/08 - Barbarian Migrations
Map of the barbarian migrations listing the names of the groups, the direction of their path, their languages and language groups.

6/06/08 Athens
Map showing the Acropolis, Piraeus, and long walls.

06/04/08 - Advances by Period and Dynasty in Ancient China
This article looks at ancient Chinese advances -- the often technological progress made beginning in the neolithic period through the Northern Dynasties period. This covers anceint China from roughly 12,000 B.C. through the 6th century A.D

May

05/31/08 - Ovid's Metamorphoses
Stories from Greek mythology that Ovid incorporated into his Metamorphoses have inspired painters through the ages. This is a collection of 15 masterpieces from Medieval/Renaissance and later painters, one for each book of Ovid's Metamorphoses.

05/23/08 - Constantinople
A basic description of that very important city that served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire for a millennium.

05/22/08 - Tabloid Tyrant Nero
What do Elvis Presley and the emperor Nero have in common? Beyond their both being musicians, overweight, and having a shared taste for flamboyant dress, they were also believed to be alive and well long after their officially reported deaths. A guest article by Lancelot Kirby.

05/21/08 - Review: Cleopatra and Egypt, by Sally-Ann Ashton - Review
Cleopatra and Egypt is a must-read, scholarly book on Cleopatra for students and teachers of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and ancient art. Also suitable, perhaps, for non-academics who want the latest research on Cleopatra and her family, the Ptolemies.

05/12/08 - Review: Greek Tragedy, by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz
Greek Tragedy is like a modern, lecture-based course on Greek Tragedy, but in book form. As a supplement to a college course on the topic or for someone who has already studied Greek tragedy, yet wants a look at modern scholarship and perspectives, Greek Tragedy is a vein of gold.

05/11/08 - Medusa
Pictures of the Gorgon, the head of Medusa, and Perseus holding the head of Medusa.

05/08/08 - Pentecost
Pentecost is the name of a holiday held 50 days after another. There is a Jewish Pentecost and a Christian one.

05/07/08 - Review: The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
Susan Wise Bauer tells ancient (political) history as an entertainingly detailed story. Her approach to the civilizations of the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and China is unusual, because instead of covering one civilization through time, she shows what each was doing during a given period. It is a great read for people who want an overview of the entire "Old World".

05/03/08 - Apollo
All together in one page, the major articles on this site on the Olympian God Apollo.

April

04/21/08 - Epidauros
Epidauros was the site of a healing shrine that was lucrative enough to fund a wonderful open air theater.

04/21/08 - Faiyum
Faiyum was an oasis in the desert.

04/21/08 - Nomes
Government of Egypt was divided into districts the Greeks called nomes.

04/19/08 - Greatest Ancient Warriors
Great ancient military leaders and tacticians have had a lasting impact on the military; modern military schools study some of their battle tactics. Here are my top 10 military leaders, warriors, and tacticians -- ancient fighters with a lasting impact.

04/17/08 - On the Nature of Things
An etext of a public domain translation of Lucretius' De rerum natura.

04/17/08 - Pontifex Maximus
Basic information on the office of Pontifex maximus in ancient Rome.

04/12/08 - Battle at Issus
Alexander the Great defeated the Great King of Persia, Darius III, at the Battle at Issus in November 333 B.C. Victory was so costly -- even Alexander was wounded, in the thigh -- the Pinarus River was said to have been run red with blood.

04/10/08 - Indo-European Languages
What are the Indo-European languages and how are they different from Proto-Indo-European?

04/05/08 - Battle of the Granicus
Overview of the battle fought by Alexander the Great against the Persians at the Granicus.

March

03/29/08 - Robert Fagles
Identification entry on the late translator of classical epics.

03/28/08 - Bible People
Bible names you should know: some of the major historical figures from the Bible.

03/28/08 - What Was Greek Religion?
Tales from Greek mythology entertain and instruct, but they can't possibly form the totality of Greek religion, just as the Bible and Koran are not the totality of modern monotheistic religions. What was the religion of the ancient Greeks?

03/27/08 - Olympic Torch
What is the ancient history of the Olympic Torch? Find out.

03/25/08 - Greek Pottery Types
Names, descriptions, and pictures of Greek pottery types.

03/23/08 - Greek Pottery Pictures
Picture gallery of Greek pottery.

03/23/08 - Athletics in Pottery
Pictures of mostly boxers and wrestlers on various types of Greek pottery.

03/19/08 - Introduction to Red-Figure Pottery
A step-by-step look at some of the major elements of Red-Figure pottery in Athens, Greece.

03/21/08 - Kantharos
Greek pottery entry on kantharos.

03/21/08 - Kylix
Greek pottery entry on kylix.

03/18/08 - Assume the Purple
Do you know what it means to assume the purple? If not, read this explanation.

03/17/08 - Socrates
Profile of the philosopher Socrates.

03/14/08 - Frieze
Glossary entry on the architectural element called a frieze.

03/14/08 - Architrave
Glossary entry on the architectural element called the architrave.

03/14/08 - Orpheus
Profile of Orpheus, a musician so talented be could tame beasts, including the hound of Hades, and move mountains. Orpheus braved the Underworld and returned to light on his own power. He is also credited with the institutions of Greek pederasty and the Orphic mystery religion.

03/10/08 - Rhea Silvia
Glossary entry on the mother of Romulus and Remus.

03/08/08 - Orpheus
Glossary entry on the musician Orpheus.

03/07/08 - People in the Life of Hercules
An index of people Hercules encountered mostly outside the 12 labors. For the 12 labors, see the Apollodorus Concordance.

03/07/08 - More You Should Know About Hercules
Besides the 12 Labors, the legendary hero Hercules led an eventful and excess-filled life that ended when he became one of the gods and gave a weapon needed to win the Trojan War to Philoctetes.

03/0508 - Icarus
Glossary entry on Daedalus' son, Icarus.

03/02/08 - Jason
What you need to know about the legendary Greek hero Jason -- aside from the adventures of the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece.

03/01/08 - Apollonius of Rhodes' Argonautica
An etext of an public translation of Apollonius of Rhode's story of the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts.

February

02/28/08 - Glossary
Capernaum
Isthmian Games

02/27/08 - Theseus
Articles and information on Theseus, one of the heroes and founder-kings of ancient Greece.

02/25/08 - Ahura Mazda
Glossary entry on the Zoroastrian sky god.

02/22/08 - Periods of Ancient Egypt
An illustrated step-by-step of the periods in Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom to the Roman period.

02/22/08 - 2nd Intermediate Period
The 2nd Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt -- another period of de-centralization, like the first -- began when the 13th Dynasty pharaohs lost power and Asiatics known as "Hyksos" took over.

02/21/08 - Paul Cartledge
Paul Cartledge is a Cambridge historian known for his books on ancient Sparta.

02/21/08 - Donald Kagan
Donald Kagan is a Yale historian of ancient Greece and recipient of numerous awards -- and controversy.

02/20/08 - Middle Kingdom Egypt
During the Middle Kingdom the pharaoh regained strength and power. Mining expeditions and trade increased building projects. Osiris became an important god.

02/18/8 - 1st Intermediate Period Egypt
Intermediate periods were times when the centralized government of Egypt broke down. The first intermediate period was partly caused by rising power of local nomarchs rather than foreign powers.

02/18/08 - Mt. Lycaeon
Mt. Lycaeon was the site in Arcadia where Zeus turned a man into a wolf, according to Greek mythology.

02/16/08 - Old Kingdom Egypt
A look at what went on in the period known as the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt.

02/11/08 - Inscriptions
Epigraphy, which means writing on something, refers to writing on an enduring substance like stone. As such, it was impressed, inscribed, or chiseled rather than written with the stylus or reed pen applied to ordinarily decaying media like paper and papyrus. Common topics of epigraphy include epitaphs, dedications, honors, laws, and magisterial registers.

02/11/08 - Tarpeian Rock
Basics on the place the Romans used for execution.

02/09/08 - Rats Deserting a Sinking Ship
Find out what Latin expression was used to convey the idea of rats deserting a sinking ship.

02/06/08 - Populares
Roman group distinguished from the Optimates.

02/04/08 - Upper Egypt
One of two major divisions of ancient Egypt. Also see Lower Egypt.

02/02/08 - Most Beautiful Women
Myth, history, and legend provide evidence of ancient women who were considered beautiful, but for most of them, we have no reliable portraits.

02/01/08 - Constantine III
Constantine III was a soldier, the last of 3 usurpers, proclaimed emperor in 407 by the army he led into Northern Gaul, for purposes of rescuing Gaul from the barbarian Vandals, Sueves and Alamanni.

02/01/08 - Belisarius
Belisarius (c. A.D. 500-65), Justinian's famous general, who was married to a former actress, Antonina, is known primarily through the writings of Procopius.

January

01/31/08 - Procopius
Procopius was a Byzantine official and historian best known for his unofficial secret history of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora.

01/30/08 - Ancient Queens
Descriptions and portraits of some of the most powerful ancient queens.

01/30/08 - The Te Tao Ching by Lao-Tse
An e-text of an English translation of the Chinese philosophical work attributed to Lao Tsu (Lao Tzu, Lao Zi, LaoZi) known as the Tao Te Ching or The Way. It was important for the religions of Taoism and Buddhism. Lao Tsu lived in th 6th century B.C. at court in the Zhou Dynasty, which was the longest in Chinese history.

01/29/08 - Summary of Book XXIV of the Odyssey
Information on the last book of the Odyssey, a summary, notes, and identification of major characters.

01/27/08 - Stilicho
Glossary entry on the military leader Stilicho.

01/26/08 - Emperor Honorius
Glossary entry on Honorius, son of Theodosius I.

01/25/08 - Logographers
Glossary entry on the predecessors of the historians.

01/25/08 - Abdera
Glossary entry on the Thracian city.

01/22/08 - Domus Aurea
A step by step pictorial look at the domus aurea.

01/22/08 - Valley of the Kings
A glossary entry on the Valley of the Kings.

01/22/08 - Summary of Book XXIII of the Odyssey
Information on the 23rd book of the Odyssey, a summary, notes, and identification of major characters.

01/21/08 - Ad Infinitum Review
Review of Nicholas Ostler's biography of the Latin language.

01/20/08 - Canopic Jars
An FAQ on the uses of the canopic jars.

01/20/08 - Matronalia
Guest article on the Roman festival of Matronalia.

01/18/08 - Appian Way
Pictures of the Appian Way.

01/18/08 - Tyrant
Glossary entry on Tyrant.

01/15/08 - Latin Irregular Verb Eo
Paradigm of the Latin verb eo.

01/15/08 - Augustus on Rome
An FAQ on Augustus' saying about Rome and marble.

01/15/08 - Summary of Book XXII of the Odyssey
Information on the 22nd book of the Odyssey, a summary, notes, and identification of major characters. Also a quiz.

01/15/08 - Glossary
Lustratio
Olympias
Ulysses

01/09/08 - Glossary
Rex sacrificulus
Sacrifice
Dodona

01/08/08 - Summary of Book XXI of the Odyssey
Information on the 21st book of the Odyssey, a summary, notes, and identification of major characters. Also a quiz.

01/06/08 - Glossary
Pomoerium
Prodigium

01/05/08 - Luperci
The Luperci were the priests who officiated at the Lupercalia. Although following its tradition, Mark Antony offended certain spectators by performing his duties as one of the Luperci in the nude.

01/05/08 - Saints
Here are some of the saints, male and female, of the early Christian Church.

01/03/08 - How Many Latin Verb Endings Are There?
The number may seem overwhelming, but people do learn languages with even more.

01/02/08 - Summary of Book XX of the Odyssey
Information on the 20th book of the Odyssey, a summary, notes, and identification of major characters. Also a quiz.