Ostia Antica: Reconstruction and History of The Harbor City of Ancient Rome
Reconstruction of Ostia Antica Ostia Antica (derived from os, the Latin for “mouth”) was the preeminent harbor city of ancient Rome, with its geographical location being…
Articles by Dattatreya Mandal
The Roman Domus (House): Architecture and Reconstruction
Introduction to the Roman Houses and Villas From the historical perspective, the Roman domus (house) was oddly enough not exactly ‘Roman’ in its character. Rather…
Reconstruction of Constantinople: From 4th to 13th Century AD
Introduction Historically, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe from the 5th to early 13th century AD. To that end, it was Emperor…
Battle of Hastings, 1066 AD: The Armies and Tactics of Normans and Anglo-Saxons
The Battle of Hastings fought on 14 October 1066, proved to be a pivotal event in the long run – with medieval continental Europeans gaining…
Golden House of Rome: The Outstanding Palace of Nero
Introduction Beyond the scope of military triumphs, the Romans were known for both their architectural and engineering prowess. And sometimes such scopes of expertise even reached…
Ancient Alexandria of Egypt: History and Reconstruction
ContentsShort History of AlexandriaThe Great Library of AlexandriaThe Serapeum of AlexandriaThe Lighthouse of Alexandria Short History of Alexandria Alexander the Great possibly christened around 70 settlements from Africa to…
Roman Gladiators: The Bloody Origins and History
Often viewed as the working-class heroes of Roman society, the gladiators (derived from Latin gladiatores) have surely seen their fair share of screen time in…
Landsknecht: The ‘Garishly’ Effective Footsoldier Of 16th Century
Introduction Possibly meaning ‘servant of the land’, the term Landsknecht generally denotes a specific German footsoldier (mostly pikeman) from the late 15th – mid 16th century who generally came…
Visual Reconstruction Of 12 Well-Known Historical Figures
Historical reconstructions provide us with a glimpse into the visual scope of the past – more so when such recreations pertain to famous historical personalities….
Achaemenid Persian Empire: The Superpower of the Classical World
Introduction – Origins of the Achaemenid Persians When the Assyrians were carving out the world’s first true ‘super empire’ from the period of the 10th century to…
The Military Of The Ottoman Empire: Origins And History
Introduction The Ottoman Empire or the Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniyye is counted among the very few global empires of medieval times, which at its greatest extent stretched all the way…
The Medieval Knight of Europe: Origins and History
Whenever we talk about a medieval knight our reveries cling to the resplendent image of a chivalrous warrior incredibly armored from head to toe, while…
15 Strangest ‘Hybrid’ Mythical Creatures From Around The World
We have already talked about bizarre mythological monsters and impressive dragons you may have missed out on from popular media like television shows and movies. Well, this…
20 Fascinating Egyptian Gods and Goddesses You Should Know About
Introduction to the Gods of Ancient Egypt The early stages of ancient Egyptian history and mythology were presumably influenced by the natural surroundings and events affecting ancient…
Reconstruction Of British People – From Neolithic Era Till 18th Century
Previously, we covered the reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian faces. The article showcased how academic work in the field, while guided by empirical evidence, is based on…
The Remarkable Gallic Wars: History, Armies, and Tactics
Introduction – A Clash of Cultures Fought between the Roman Republic and several Gallic tribes (mostly from areas constituting present-day France and Belgium), the Gallic Wars from 58-50 BC…
Huns: The Remarkable Super-Tribe of Horsemen from the Steppes
Introduction ‘Huns’ – the very word brings up the notion of hordes of horsemen swarming upon the resplendent Roman Empire, with their unkempt appearances, cacophonous…
The Code of Hammurabi: 10 Things You Should Know
Introduction This is how historian Stephen Bertman partly summarizes the character of Hammurabi, the sixth king of the Amorite dynasty, who ascended the Babylonian throne in 1792…
Colosseum: The Incredible Ancient Engineering Feat of Rome
Unlike other ancient theaters, the oval-shaped, freestanding amphitheater was a Roman invention. And, as the jewel in the crown of such imposing Roman-made architectural specimens, the Colosseum holds…
Cernunnos: The Mysterious Celtic Horned God of the Forests
Introduction Arguably the most visually impressive and rather portentous of ancient Celtic gods, the name Cernunnos is actually the general term (theonym) given to the…
10 Exceptional Man-Made Ancient Structures Ahead Of Their Time
While it may seem that the scope of modern construction with its ‘pillars’ of concrete and glass has taken the advanced path, the vast scope…
Moors: The Fascinating Muslim Rulers Of Al-Andalus
ContentsIntroduction – The Islamic Invasion of the Iberian PeninsulaThe Cultural History of the MoorsWho Were the Moors and Andalusians?Cordoba and the Umayyad LegacyThe High Culture…
8 Of The Oldest Known Songs, You Should Listen To
When perceived from the lens of history, music, and songs are counted among the fundamental expressions that are unique to humanity. And while rudimentary forms…
Babylon: History and Reconstruction of the Ancient Mesopotamian City
Introduction When it comes to the historically rich region of Mesopotamia, Babylon is arguably the most renowned of all cities. An ancient settlement that harks back…
Mongols: The Incredible Armies That Shook The Medieval World
Introduction Historian Stephen Turnbull described Mongols as the “object of both admiration and loathing”. But beyond what chroniclers felt about them, there is the ‘wall’…
15 Awe-Inspiring Hindu Gods and Goddesses You Should Know About
Introduction While considered one of the ancient mythologies in the world, Hindu mythology is distinct from its other historical counterparts. That is because the extensive…
Carolingian Franks: The Military Powerhouse of Early Medieval Europe
The progression of Western Europe from the proverbial (though misleading) ‘Dark Ages’ to what we know as the medieval feudal times corresponded to a matter…
12 Major Aztec Gods and Goddesses You Should Know About
Introduction The very term ‘Aztec’ has a mythological lineage since it is derived from Aztlan (or ‘Place of Whiteness’ in connotative meaning), the mythical place of origin…
Knights Hospitaller: 10 Things You Should Know
Introduction Often counted among the better-known medieval Christian military orders, the Knights Hospitallers or the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of…
Conquistadors: The Remarkable Spanish Warriors and Adventurers
Introduction When we talk of the Conquistador, the subjective discussion tends to either take a damning route or present an idealizing status. But beyond the…