In 480 BC, a colossal Persian army crossed the Hellespont. Led by the power-hungry King Xerxes I, hundreds of thousands of troops traveled towards Greece’s heartland in search of vengeance for a disastrous defeat ten years prior. As their customs demanded, the Athenians sought counsel at Delphi, where the Pythian oracle told them that […]

According to the National Coffee Association, about two-thirds of adult Americans start their day with a cup of that precious beverage: coffee. There is something special about its bitter flavor and potent aroma that stimulates the mind and the senses. It is estimated that around 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed each day. […]

Over the course of the late 2nd century AD, the emperor Commodus was accused of progressively slipping into megalomania. Masquerading as a gladiator in the arena and presenting himself as the hero Hercules, he even had plans to rename the city of Rome after himself. Patience was running low, and by 192 AD, Commodus […]

Walking into a great history museum is the closest we can get to true time travel. From London and Berlin to Cairo and Mexico City, these 15 institutions rank among the best history museums in the world. Each museum holds culture-defining artifacts including the Rosetta Stone, the treasures of Tutankhamun, the Terracotta Warriors, the […]

Ancient Egypt flourished for over three millennia, maintaining its unique culture and political identity. But that does not mean that Egypt was never impacted by external threats. The Egyptians were conquered several times by foreign powers, who brought their own culture and ideas to Egypt, influencing its character and trajectory. But they also adopted Egyptian […]