Few monarchs have caused so much controversy among historians as Charles VI of France (r. 1380-1422). Charles VI is perhaps most well-known for his losses during the Hundred Years’ War and for turning the tide in favor of the English. However, should we be looking at his reign in a more sympathetic light? Charles […]

Few philosophical writings are as evocative and poetic as Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Written in dramatic, even prophetic style, Nietzsche’s Zarathustra is not so much literature—it’s more of a provocation, a vision, and a call to humanity to go beyond itself. Through mystical parables, Nietzsche presents revolutionary ideas about the Overman, the Death of God, […]

The ancient Egyptians were known for disliking, or even despising, foreigners. In art and texts, they often depicted their closest neighbors—the Libyans, Asiatics/Canaanites, and the Nubians. Of those, they perhaps had the most complex relationship with the Nubians. The Egyptians routinely raided and colonized Nubia. Eventually, the Nubians adopted many aspects of Pharaonic culture […]

The Aeneid was written at the end of the 1st century BCE, in the aftermath of numerous civil wars, the fall of the Roman Republic, and the emergence of Augustus as the principal power in Rome. In this landscape, Augustus, the adoptive son of Caesar, strove to present himself as the bringer of peace, […]

In a discussion with TheCollector, Jill Cook, Keeper of the Department of Britain, Europe, and Prehistory at the British Museum, tells us about her latest book, “Ice Age Art Now” by British Museum Press. The conversation explored the concept and nature of Ice Age art, its connection to modern art, the enduring nature of […]