Article archive
Research, stories and questions from the ancient world.
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Small Museum Climate Control Myths That Waste Money
Small museums can protect collections without rigid climate settings. See what conservation guidance says about humidity, monitoring, HVAC and safer storage.
Pozzino Shipwreck: A Doctor’s Kit and Ancient Eye Medicine
A 2,000-year-old shipwreck off Tuscany preserved a medical kit and zinc-rich tablets. Archaeology reveals their ingredients, possible use and unanswered questions.
Uluburun Shipwreck: Copper, Tin, and Bronze Age Trade
The Uluburun shipwreck carried copper, tin, glass and resin around 1320 BCE. Its cargo reveals Bronze Age trade and unresolved questions.
Minoan Bull-Leaping at Knossos: Sport, Ritual, Risk
The Knossos bull-leaping fresco depicts an acrobat above a charging bull. Archaeology shows how the images spread, while the technique, performers and purpose remain…
Elagabalus and the Black Stone of Emesa: Religion and Revolt in Rome
Elagabalus brought Emesa's sacred stone to Rome and elevated its sun god above Jupiter. Ancient texts, coins and excavations show what happened before his…
Proto-Indo-European Mythology: What Zeus, Jupiter and Odin Share
Zeus and Jupiter preserve the name of an ancient Sky Father. Odin has a different origin. Here is what language, Vedic hymns and surviving…
Prehistoric Warfare: Raids, Mass Graves and Bronze Age Battles
Prehistoric warfare left evidence at Jebel Sahaba, Nataruk, Neolithic massacre sites and Tollense. What can archaeology prove about violence before states?
Apuleius’s The Golden Ass: A Donkey in the Roman World
Apuleius’s The Golden Ass follows a man turned donkey through magic, exploitation and Roman provincial life before Isis offers deliverance.
Tyrian Purple: The Ancient Dye of Kings and Emperors
Tyrian purple came from Mediterranean sea snails. Ancient workshops, Roman dress codes and surviving textiles reveal why the colour became a symbol of power.
The Sacred Band of Thebes: 300 Warriors and 150 Pairs of Lovers
Thebes formed an elite force of 300 men, remembered as 150 pairs of lovers. Its victories over Sparta and destruction at Chaeronea survive in…
The Khopesh: Egypt’s Curved Sword and Its Place in Warfare
The khopesh was Egypt’s distinctive curved bronze sword. Surviving weapons and temple reliefs reveal its cutting edge, royal symbolism and uncertain battlefield tactics.
Why Ovid Was Exiled to Tomis in 8 CE
In 8 CE Augustus banished Ovid to Tomis. The poet blamed his Ars Amatoria and a mysterious mistake, but the second offence remains unknown.
