Article archive
Research, stories and questions from the ancient world.
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7 of the Bloodiest Battles and Sieges in Ancient History
Changping, Jerusalem and five more ancient disasters show why enormous battle death tolls survive, and why historians question them.
What Happened After Ancient Battles?
After ancient battles, victors collected weapons and prisoners while families struggled to recover the dead. Greek truces and archaeology show what followed.
Roman Surveying Tools That Measured an Empire
How Roman surveyors used the groma, chorobates and measuring rods to lay out roads, aqueducts and land grids, and what the surviving evidence proves.
Norse Runes: Writing, Magic, and Germanic Society
From the Elder Futhark to Viking runes, explore what early inscriptions reveal about Germanic writing, religion and the limits of rune magic.
8 Archaeological Discoveries That Made Headlines in 2025
Eight major archaeological discoveries reported in 2025, from Thutmose II’s tomb and a Viking boat burial to Pompeii’s frescoes and Cyprus’s Apollo sanctuary.
Who Was the Last Pharaoh of Egypt?
Cleopatra VII was Egypt’s last independent ruler. Her son Caesarion was its last titled Ptolemaic pharaoh. Their deaths ended the dynasty in 30 BCE.
Persephone: Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld
Persephone was both Kore, daughter of Demeter, and queen of the Greek underworld. Her abduction, cults and ancient sources reveal a goddess of life…
7 Worst Roman Emperors and Why Rome Remembered Them
Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Commodus, Elagabalus, Caracalla and Tiberius earned notorious reputations. Their reigns reveal both real abuses of power and the biases of ancient…
How Was the Roman Republic Different from the Roman Empire?
Compare Roman republican elections, the Senate, law, armies and taxes with imperial rule, and see how Augustus concentrated power while keeping old offices.
Norse Mythology Explained: Gods, Realms, and Sources
Norse mythology explained through the Eddas, Odin, Thor, Loki, Yggdrasil, Ragnarök and archaeology, with the uncertainties behind the surviving stories.
Etruscan Haruspex: Reading the Gods in a Sheep’s Liver
Etruscan haruspices examined sheep livers for divine signs. The bronze Liver of Piacenza reveals their sacred system and its place in Roman religion.
Inside Ancient Roman Apartments: Rent, Rooms and Daily Life
Roman apartments ranged from cramped rooms to decorated suites. Explore insulae, rent, fire, water, sanitation and daily life in imperial Rome.
