Article archive
Research, stories and questions from the ancient world.
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How Did Octavian Win the Battle of Actium?
Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BCE after Agrippa cut their supply routes. How the naval battle unfolded and why Cleopatra…
Lex Irnitana: How Roman Municipal Law Worked
The Lex Irnitana reveals how a Roman town elected magistrates, managed public money, granted citizenship and handled lawsuits in AD 91.
Medusa: Gorgon Origins, Powers, and Perseus
Who was Medusa, what could her gaze do, and how did Perseus kill her? Ancient Greek sources, Ovid and archaeology reveal the different Gorgon…
Roman Gladiators: How They Lived and Trained
Roman gladiators trained with wooden weapons, ate grain-heavy diets, and lived under strict control. Archaeology reveals how their schools worked.
Ancient Mesopotamia: Life, Innovation, and Empire
Ancient Mesopotamia grew around rivers and canals. Its people built cities, developed writing, traded, worshipped and created powerful empires.
What Counts as Loot in War? From Booty to War Crimes
Ancient armies rewarded soldiers with spoils. Modern law bans pillage but still permits some military seizures. The difference depends on ownership, purpose and law.
Disability in Ancient Literature: Ridicule, Care and Respect
From Homer’s Thersites to Sophocles’ Philoctetes and Roman satire, ancient texts reveal how disability shaped ridicule, exclusion, care and social status.
Did Slaves Build the Parthenon?
Did enslaved people build the Parthenon? Athenian building accounts and the later Erechtheion payroll reveal skilled slave labor, but no reliable Parthenon headcount.
Heracles and the Twelve Labors: The Hero Who Became a God
In one Greek tradition, Heracles served King Eurystheus after killing his children. His twelve labors took him from Nemea to Hades, but the myth…
Poseidon: Greek God of the Sea, Earthquakes and Horses
Poseidon ruled the sea, shook the earth and protected horses. Ancient myths, temples and new excavations reveal how Greeks worshipped this powerful god.
Hades in Greek Mythology: His Realm, Myths and Worship
Hades ruled the Greek underworld. His myths involve Persephone, Orpheus and Heracles, while ancient texts and cult sites reveal how Greeks understood death.
Who Is Pan? Greek God of the Wild
Pan was the goat-legged Greek god of shepherds, wild places and music. His myths, Arcadian sanctuaries and Athenian worship reveal a complex deity.
