Banquet of Blood: Abbasids wipe out their opponents in a single night of feasting and gore
From the other side of the silver screen, many of us gasped at the fictional atrocities committed at the unraveling event of the Red Wedding…
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Aachen Cathedral: An enigmatic masterpiece signifying the end of ‘Dark Age’ in Europe
Often referred to as the ‘Imperial Cathedral’, the Aachen Cathedral (in Aachen, west of Bonn, Germany) is a Roman Catholic church that is the oldest…
Silbury Hill: The greatest man-made architectural triumph of Bronze Age Europe
When it comes to popular media and even consciousness, the Silbury Hill has unfortunately not made so much of a mark as its more famous…
Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni: The grand underground ‘temple’ with acoustic effects
Often claimed as being the world’s only known prehistoric underground temple, the branching subterranean complex of Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni in Paola, Malta, is more…
Workmanship beyond warfare: The Scythian ‘paradox’ in gold-made artifacts
The realm of the nomadic Scythians stretched all the way across the vast Eurasian steppes, with their center of power being mainly based along the…
The incredible life of Harald Hardrada: The last of the ‘great Vikings’
In the middle decades of the 11th century, the Vikings had reached the twilight of their raiding and plundering days. After their defeat and humiliation…
The Battle of Pelusium: ‘Cats’ and psychological edge lead Persians to victory
Often viewed as the first major battle fought between the burgeoning Achaemenid Empire and Ancient Egypt (still ruled by native Pharoahs), the Battle of Pelusium…
The curious architecture of Domus Aurea: Nero’s extravagant “Golden House” palace
Beyond the ambit of military triumphs, the Romans were known for both their architectural and engineering prowess. And sometimes such scopes of expertise even reached…
