If I told you that today we are going to talk about a 17th-century figure named Felipe Francisco de Fachicura, you would probably think of a military officer, a writer, or perhaps a politician from the Spain of Philip III. However, that is not the case—or at least, not exactly—because that was the name given […]
Christianity
Posted inMiddle Ages
Bakt, the Longest-Lasting Treaty in History, Was in Effect for Seven Centuries
Since the dawn of civilizations—and perhaps even earlier—humanity has had no choice but to reach agreements with its neighbors in order to live in peace. In this sense, the longest-lasting treaty known in history was the one signed between the Muslim rulers of Egypt and the Christian kingdom of Makuria, which was located in what […]
Posted inModern Era
Ranavalona I’s Bloody Crusade Against Christianity and Foreign Influence: The Ruthless Queen Who Defended Madagascar’s Traditions
Some 19th-century historians described her as the modern Messalina; others as a female Caligula. Meanwhile, Ida Laura Pfeiffer, an explorer and travel writer who traveled around the world twice in the mid-19th century, said of her that she was one of the proudest and cruelest women on the face of the Earth, and her entire […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
A Silver Amulet Found in a 3rd-Century Roman Tomb Contains the Oldest Christian Inscription North of the Alps
In an unprecedented archaeological discovery, a small silver amulet measuring just 3.5 centimeters has revolutionized historical understanding of Christianity north of the Alps. This find, known as the Frankfurt Silver Inscription, contains a delicate rolled sheet with 18 engraved lines in Latin, whose interpretation is reshaping established paradigms about the spread of Christianity during the […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Mystery of the Mardaites: The Christian Highlanders Who Maintained Their Autonomy Between Byzantium and the Caliphate
In the province of Hatay, in southern Turkey, there is a mountain range locally known as Nur Dağları. Arabs call it Jabal al-Lukkam, and in Spanish, its Greek name, Amanus, has been adopted. It spans approximately 200 kilometers in length, with its highest peak being Mıgır Tepe or Bozdağ, standing at 2,240 meters. It was […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
Analysis of the “domus ecclesiae” at Dura Europos challenges the narrative of the material origins of early Christianity
For nearly a century, the structure known as the “Christian Building” in Dura-Europos has been heralded as a quintessential example of early Christian architecture. Dating back to around 232 CE, this building—located in the ancient Roman city of Dura-Europos in modern-day Syria—has long been considered the prototypical domus ecclesiae, or house church. This term describes […]
Posted inArchaeology
Archaeologists Discover 4th Century Christian Building in Bahrain, Oldest in the Persian Gulf
Archaeologists have unearthed one of the earliest Christian buildings in the Persian Gulf, providing the first physical evidence of a long-lost Christian community in the region. Today, Christianity is not commonly associated with the Gulf, but the Church of the East, also known as the Nestorian Church, thrived there until the mass conversions to Islam […]
Posted inAge of Exploration
Amakusa Shiro, the Teenage Messiah who Led the Rebellion Against the Persecution of Christians in 17th Century Japan
When we talk about persecution of Christianity, usually the image that comes to mind is that of the Roman Empire, with Roman Christians identifying themselves incognito through drawings of the Chi-Rho or a schematic fish. However, in late 16th century Japan, a similar situation was also experienced. In 1587, the daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the unifier […]
Posted inAncient Rome
Anicia Faltonia Proba, the woman who opened the doors of Rome to the Visigoths in the year 410
During the Dominate era, in the Late Roman Empire, there lived a woman who has gone down in history for having been the one to open the doors of Rome to Alaric’s Visigoths in the year 410 AD. We are referring to Anicia Faltonia Proba, famous not only for her great culture but also for […]
