A study led by Professor Amos Frumkin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem sheds new light on one of humanity’s most significant turning points: the Neolithic Revolution. Published in the Journal of Soils and Sediments, the research presents compelling evidence that catastrophic wildfires and soil erosion, driven by natural climate changes, may have triggered the […]
History
The line of demarcation between prehistoric and historical times is crossed when people cease to live only in the present, and become consciously interested both in their past and in their future. History begins with the handing down of tradition; and tradition means the carrying of the habits and lessons of the past into the future. Records of the past begin to be kept for the benefit of future generations. (E.H. Carr)
Posted inMiddle Ages
How the Mongols Conquered All of the Holy Land, Then Withdrew Without Fighting
In a recent article dedicated to the Ninth Crusade, we explained that the English prince and future king Edward I landed in Acre in the spring of 1271, ready to confront the Egyptian Mamluks under Sultan Baibars. His army was too small to prevail on its own, but he had an exotic ally with whom […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Pope Who Bore the Name of a Roman God and Changed It Upon Election, Beginning a Tradition
Rome, year 533 AD. The Eternal City, once the capital of the Empire, now under Ostrogothic rule, prepares to receive a new pontiff. But this will not be just any pope—he will go down in history as the first bishop of Rome to change his name upon ascending the throne of Saint Peter. His election […]
Posted inAncient Egypt, Archaeology
Secret Messages of Pharaoh Ramesses II Discovered on the Obelisk in Paris’s Place de la Concorde
French Egyptologist Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, a professor at the University of Paris-Sorbonne and the Catholic Institute of Paris, has discovered a series of hidden inscriptions on the obelisk in Place de la Concorde. These texts, previously unnoticed, reveal new information about the reign of Ramesses II, the pharaoh who commissioned this monument at the entrance to […]
Posted inAncient Egypt, Archaeology
Tomb of Prince Useref Ra Discovered in Saqqara, Featuring the Largest False Door in Pink Granite Found to Date
A joint Egyptian archaeological mission between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Dr. Zahi Hawass Foundation for Heritage has revealed an exceptional discovery in the Saqqara necropolis: the tomb of Prince Useref Ra, son of Pharaoh Userkaf, the first monarch of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom (around 2500 BCE). The find includes […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The End of the Crusades: The Failure of the Last Christian Kingdoms in the Holy Land
On June 16, 1272, the city of Acre awoke to shocking news that quickly spread by word of mouth: that night, there had been an assassination attempt on Lord Edward, son of the English king Henry III, who was in the Near East leading a crusade. A hitman—perhaps a member of the Nizari or Hashashin […]
Posted inAncient Rome
Extreme droughts triggered the great barbarian invasion of Roman Britain in the mid-4th century AD
A study led by the University of Cambridge has revealed that a series of extreme droughts between the years 364 and 366 AD may have been a determining factor in the so-called Great Barbarian Conspiracy of the year 367, one of the most severe attacks on Roman rule in Britain since Boudica’s rebellion three centuries […]
Posted inModern Era
Magenta, the Color Born from a Battle
The history of colors is intertwined with the evolution of humanity, reflecting scientific advances, cultural conquests, and historical moments that have left an indelible mark on our perception of the world. Each color contains within it a fragment of the human story, and some, like magenta, shine not only because of their chromatic intensity but […]
Posted inAntiquity
The Military Secrets of Urartu: How a Forgotten Kingdom Challenged the Mighty Assyrian Empire
In the mountains of eastern Anatolia, during the Iron Age between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, a kingdom arose that challenged one of the greatest powers of its time: Urartu (also known as the Kingdom of Van). Despite its hostile geography, rebellious vassals, and the constant pressure from the Assyrian Empire, the Urartians managed […]
Posted inModern Era
Maximator, the intelligence alliance formed by five European countries that ended up being spied on by their own machines
Military alliances are interstate political agreements signed to achieve common defense. They have existed since Antiquity (remember, for instance, the leagues formed by the Greek city-states), and although their most important aspect traditionally pertains to weaponry and warfare, since the 20th century they have increasingly incorporated specialties related to espionage and intelligence services. Perhaps the […]
