Tag: Ancient Greece

The Fool of Hope (319 - 272 B.C.) P U R R O S by Plutarch In Pyrrhus' wild career of restless trouble-making, we see a soul incapable of satisfaction. He was a mighty man of war, and nearly conquered Rome, but he could never finish what he started before getting distracted by a new project. Glaucias...

Surviving Greek and Roman texts reveal the remarkable level of mathematical and engineering skill that went into the development of these early ballistic-missile launchers by Werner Soedel and Vernard Foley Scientific American, March 1979, pp. 150 - 160 Web version made available with additional dia...

(all dates B.C.) circa 9000 Atlantis disappears. circa 1600 Island of Thera explodes, causing a tidal wave that inundates coastal settlements in the Aegean, and cripples the civilization of Crete. circa 1300 Theseus establishes the city of Athens. circa 1250 Troy falls to Agamemnon and his Greek a...

Ancient Greece, hailed as the cradle of Western civilization, unfolds its rich tapestry of history, culture, and philosophy on the canvas of its geographical landscape. Join us on a visual expedition as we explore the map of Ancient Greece, unlocking the secrets of city-states, mythical realms, and ...

Tired of changing dirty diapers? The ancient Greeks had the answer: This late-fifth-century B.C. wine jug, found in Athens and now in the British Museum, shows a baby on a potty. The toilet training device is a deep bowl in which the child sits with legs dangling out of two holes. The baby waves a r...

The Freedom Fighter (410 - 364 B.C.) PELOPIDAS by Plutarch Pelopidas led the Thebans to recover their liberty, then he led them to victory over the invincible Spartans. From beginning to end, his was the life of a hero. Pelopidas, the son of Hippoclus, was born into a prominent family of Thebes. He ...

The Athenian Adventurer (circa 1300 B.C.) QHSEUS by Plutarch Theseus suppressed crime and brought the natives of Attica together into the first democracy. He saved the Athenian children from the Minotaur, but his kidnap of the queen of the Amazons brought trouble, and he ended his days in disgrace. ...

"The Good" (402 - 318 B.C.) FWKIWN by Plutarch After her defeat in the Peloponnesian War, Athens became a decadent democracy. Phocion did his best over many years to save his fellow citizens from their own foolishness, and at last he earned the reward of Socrates. In the conflict between good men an...

In the rich tapestry of Greek mythology, the Olympian Gods reign supreme, commanding the heavens and influencing the destinies of mortals below. This post invites you to embark on a celestial journey, exploring the majestic world of the Olympian Gods through a fusion of captivating images and insigh...

The Greeks were the first to formulate many of the Western world's fundamental concepts in politics, philosophy, science, and art. How was itthat a relative handful of people could bequeath such a legacy tocivilization? The definitive answer may always elude the historian, but a goodpart of the expl...

"The Last of the Greeks" (252 - 182 B.C.) FILOPOIMHN by Plutarch Philopoemen led the last remnants of resistance to the creeping domination of Rome in Greece. In this austere general, we see an indomitable character, superior to his circumstances. Cleander was a man of high birth and great power in ...

Nestled in the northeastern corner of the Peloponnese, the ancient city of Argos has long been a place of legend and history. With roots dating back over 3,000 years, Argos is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. This post delves into the captivating story of Argos, a city wi...