The Warring States period that spanned from 475 BCE to 221 BCE was a time in China that was characterized by conflict, new ideas, and systems of governance which set the stage for the rise of Imperial China. Marked by a spike in warfare, the period is seen as key to the formation of […]

While the worship of personifications of abstract ideas seems to be one more concept that the Romans borrowed from the Greek world, these deities took on new importance among the Romans. For example, Victoria was much more important among the Romans than Nike was in Greek religion. These personifications, commonly called “Virtues” in the […]

During the Hellenistic and Classical periods, ancient Greek sculpture aimed to depict the human form realistically, but in an idealized and harmonious state. Greek Sculptors studied anatomy and sought to capture physical perfection and inner vitality. They believed that the human body reflected divine beauty, and sculpture was a medium through which to express […]

The Mesoamerican worldview, cyclical and dualistic, understood the universe as a system in constant renewal. The cosmos was organized into 13 heavens and nine underworlds arranged along a central axis, with the earth in the middle. Mictlan was the place where those who died in any way not associated with war, water, or premature […]