Discover the remarkable history of Sparta… Many of the city-states of Ancient Greece gave the world a legacy rich in art, literature, poetry, philosophy, and science. But one such state distinguished itself by embracing something very different: a warrior lifestyle, a denial of luxury and wealth, and a focus on the collective rather than the […]
Discover the remarkable history of the Stone Age… The cave dwellers of the Stone Age were brutish and primitive compared to the human civilizations that would follow. Their technological developments were limited, and their society and culture provided few lasting legacies. Until surprisingly recently, this was the general view of the period of prehistory known
Discover the remarkable history of the Sasanian Empire… Persia, as Iran was originally known, was an imperial superpower of the ancient world not once but twice, and during its height, it was famed for its culture and learning. First rising to power under the might of Cyrus the Great, the Persian Achaemenid Empire ruled over
Discover the remarkable history of the Qing Dynasty… The history of China as a single nation began more than 2,000 years ago when Qin Shi Huangdi first united a group of warring kingdoms into a single empire. China was then ruled by a series of imperial dynasties until the last one—the Qing Dynasty—fell in 1912.
Discover the remarkable history of the Sami People… A great deal has been written about the history of the Native American people of North America and particularly about their experiences since the arrival of white settlers. However, there is another people whose history mirrors the experience of many Native American tribes but who have become
Discover the remarkable history of the Parthian Empire… Across four centuries, the Parthian Empire expanded its dominion over vast territories, boasting some of the most effective military units of the ancient world. Still, this is one of the forgotten empires of the ancient world. The reason is principally that, for the last two hundred years
Discover the remarkable history of the North Sea Empire… The Norman invasion of England in 1066 and the subsequent rule of William the Conqueror are among the best-remembered and often-documented events in European history. What is much less well known is that less than fifty years before the Norman invasion, England was invaded, conquered, and
Discover the remarkable history of the Viking Age… From the late eighth century to somewhere around the middle of the eleventh century, the history of Europe was dominated by the people who have become known as the Vikings. The Vikings were among the first global explorers who established territory that stretched from North America in
Discover the remarkable history of the Japanese Empire… At one point, the Japanese Empire was one of the largest the world had ever seen, governing almost 20% of the total population of the Earth. One of the most striking features of this empire was the rapidity with which it grew. In 1870, Japan was a
Discover the remarkable history of the British Empire… The British Empire comprised a bewildering collection of colonies, dominions, protectorates, and mandated possessions that spanned the planet. This was the largest empire in world history, at its peak ruling over more than 400 million people and covering almost one-quarter of the total land mass of the
