Article archive
Research, stories and questions from the ancient world.
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Jorōgumo: Japan’s Shape-Shifting Spider Woman
Edo-period tales portray Jorōgumo as a spider that becomes a woman, creates illusions and haunts waterfalls. The surviving stories give her different powers.
Shogun vs Emperor: How Japan’s Warriors Took Power
Japan's emperors kept the throne while shoguns, regents and lords held power. How military government emerged in 1185 and ended in 1868.
How Eratosthenes Measured the Earth With a Stick
Eratosthenes used sunlight at Alexandria and Syene to estimate Earth’s circumference. His geometry survives, but the exact length of his stade remains debated.
Why Did Sparta Have Two Kings? The Agiads and Eurypontids
Ancient Sparta had two hereditary kings, one Agiad and one Eurypontid. Their rival dynasties led armies, served as priests and answered to powerful magistrates.
What Is the Difference Between Titans and Olympians?
The Titans ruled before Zeus and the Olympians. Learn how these divine generations differed, why they fought and which Titans survived.
Who Were the Norns in Norse Mythology?
The Norns shaped human destinies in Norse myth, but there were more than three. The Eddas describe fate through carving, birth prophecies and threads.
8 Sacred Sites Where Different Faiths Meet and Clash
From Jerusalem and Hebron to Bodh Gaya and Sri Pada, eight holy places reveal how faiths share sacred ground, and why control becomes contested.
How the Crossbow Changed Medieval Warfare Forever
How medieval crossbows worked, why the Church condemned them, and what Richard I, Crécy and royal records reveal about their impact on warfare.
9 Archaeological Hoaxes That Fooled the World
From Piltdown Man to the Cardiff Giant, nine notorious fake finds reveal how scientists and museums were deceived and how the frauds were exposed.
How Did Ancient Scholars Study Before Printing?
Before printing, ancient scholars used clay tablets, papyrus, oral recitation, libraries and debate. Their methods varied across cultures and centuries.
What Happened at the Synod of Whitby in 664 CE?
In 664, King Oswiu chose the Roman Easter calculation over Iona’s tradition at Whitby. The debate, its politics and its consequences reshaped Northumbria.
Cloaca Maxima: Rome’s Ancient Sewer Still Flowing Today
Rome’s Cloaca Maxima began as a drainage project in the sixth century BCE. Its surviving channels still carry water, though much was rebuilt.
