Few dynasties have had the cultural or historical impact that the Qin Dynasty had. China has a rich, varied, and sometimes complex history—but it all had to start somewhere. The Qin Dynasty was ancient China’s first imperial dynasty, and its legacy meant that China would be ruled by imperial dynasties (more or less) for […]

One of the main causes of the end of the Viking era was the Vikings’ conversion to Christianity. This changed their political relationship with their neighbors, making raids more difficult, and made them less distinct from the rest of Europe. While there are stories of Christian missionaries and Viking conversions as early as the […]

The one-eyed Cyclops is one of the most recognizable monsters in Greek mythology, but there is more to the story of the Cyclops than meets the eye. Homer depicted them as familiar, uncivilized brutes, while Hesiod described them as equals to the Titans and praised them as the original blacksmiths of the gods who […]

Sargon II ascended the Assyrian throne in 722 BCE and reigned until 705 BCE. Little is known about him before his contentious rise to power. Throughout his tenure as king, Sargon II entangled himself in political disputes, which often led to war, and in most cases, he emerged victorious. In addition to his wars […]

A new exhibition and publication bring to life the work of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of Japan’s most popular and prolific artists. Hiroshige: artist of the open road presents a rarely seen range of prints, paintings, books, and sketches. It is the first-ever exhibition to focus on the artist at the British Museum and […]