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News from Ancient Origins website - Ancient Origins seeks to uncover, what we believe, is one of the most important pieces of knowledge we can acquire as human beings – our beginnings.
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The Gracchi: How Two Brothers Altered the Course of Roman Politics

Sat, 01/20/2024 - 08:47

The Late Republic was in ruins. Civil war was common. Violence broke out between political factions. 

Read moreSection: NewsHistoryFamous People

Submerged Australian Land Was Spoken of in Indigenous Myths

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 18:58

In a groundbreaking revelation, researchers have unveiled the discovery of a vast submerged land to the north of contemporary Australia, that held up to 500,000 people.

Read moreSection: NewsGeneralAncient PlacesAustralia & Oceania

Living Close To The Bone – A Day In The Life Of A Hunter-Gatherer

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 15:04

At the beginning of Herodotus’ Histories, the Athenian lawgiver Solon, one of the seven sages of ancient Greece, points out to his interlocutor Croesus, King of Lydia,

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Narmer's Reign: The Epic Beginnings of Ancient Egypt (Video)

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 14:58

In the 31st century BC, Narmer, an ambitious king of Upper Egypt, orchestrated a pivotal conquest, uniting both Upper and Lower Egypt and establishing himself as the first ruler of the combined lands.

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistoryImportant EventsFamous People

1,000-Year-Old Sword with Potential Viking Link Recovered From Polish River

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:57

A highly contested find has been recovered from the bottom of a river in Poland. 

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsHistory & Archaeology

Irreversible Damage Caused at Fort Pearce Puebloan Site

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 09:00

A historically rich area, Utah has had a long history of vandalism and theft across archaeological and paleontological sites. 

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & Archaeology

New Evidence Shows Modern Humans First Arrived in China 45,000 Years Ago

Thu, 01/18/2024 - 17:52

A new study presents evidence showing that Homo sapiens (modern humans) arrived in China approximately 45,000 years ago, or several thousand years earlier than previously suspected.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsEvolution & Human Origins

Charlemagne: How He Changed History Forever (Video)

Thu, 01/18/2024 - 14:54

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, stands as a pivotal figure in European history.

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistoryFamous People

Tusk Records Woolly Mammoth’s 620-Mile Life Journey, and Alaska’s Earliest Hunting Camps

Thu, 01/18/2024 - 11:54

Researchers have linked the travels of a 14,000-year-old woolly mammoth with the oldest known human settlements in Alaska.

Read moreSection: NewsEvolution & Human Origins

Face of the Only Victim of Roman Crucifixion Found in Britain is Revealed

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 21:57

Experts have successfully reconstructed the face of a man who was a victim of Roman crucifixion.

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesEuropeHistoryAncient Traditions

Deciphering the Enigma of Intelligence Through the Ages

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 18:52

Have you ever wondered how our ancestors measured intelligence? It’s a concept that has intrigued societies for millennia. 

Read moreSection: NewsHuman OriginsScience

The Constantinian Dynasty - Five Successors, One Victorious Emperor

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 18:51

The Tetrarchy, inaugurated in 285 AD by Emperor Diocletian, had been instituted mainly with the intent of mitigating successions tribulations such as those that had plagued the third century. But the system began to breakdown in 306 when Emperor Constantius Chlorus died in Eboracum (York, UK) and the army serving under him illegitimately designated his son Constantine I as his successor. The latter emerged, 19 years later, as the last man standing following a series of deadly rivalries between several determined candidates to the purple cloak. By then, the well envisioned experiment of the Tetrarchy had become a distant memory and Constantine I ruled the Empire as sole emperor from 325 until his death in 337.

During this crucial 12-year period, important administrative reforms were undertaken, and the Roman army experienced a major reorganization in its structure and composition. As the Empire was recovering its former military might, Christianity officially became the state religion.

Modern bronze statue of Constantine I in York, England, near the spot where he was proclaimed Augustus in 306 (Chabe01 / CC BY-SA 4.0)

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After Alexander- The Rise and Fall of the Seleucids (Video)

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 14:59

The demise of the Seleucid Empire unfolds as a consequence of the intricate power struggles following Alexander the Great's death.

After Alexander's demise in 323 BC, his vast empire, extending from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River, faced internal strife. With no clear heir, the ensuing Diadochi period witnessed rival generals vying for control, and among them, Seleucus, a cavalry commander, emerged as a key player.

Seleucus' journey to power involved strategic alliances, marriages to consolidate cultures, and territorial expansion. In 307 BC, he founded the Seleucid capital, Seleucia, initiating the Seleucid Empire.

Facing challenges from rival generals and external conflicts, Seleucus navigated the complex geopolitical landscape. Notable was the Babylonian Wars and a significant campaign against the Mauryan Empire in present-day Afghanistan and India.

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistory

Sensational 14th Century Gauntlet Unearthed In Switzerland

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 12:00

In a remarkable find of ancient military technology, a team of cantonal archaeologists in Kyburg, Switzerland, has unearthed a completely preserved armored gauntlet dating back to the 14th century. The find was made during excavations southeast of Kyburg Castle, in what appears to have been a medieval weaving cellar that burned down in the same era. So what was it doing there?

It is believed there must have been a forging carried out in the proximity of the cellar, as over 50 well-preserved metal objects, including tools like hammers, tweezers, pliers, and keys, as well as knives and bullet points were also found.

Among these artifacts, the fully intact gauntlet stands out as a particularly sensational discovery. Remarkably, it is accompanied by fragments of its counterpart for the other hand.

A Rare Medieval Gauntlet Example

The significance of this find cannot be overstated, as gauntlets from the 14th century are extremely rare, especially those with detailed designs and decorations. Prior to this, only five other gauntlets from this period had been discovered in archaeological digs across Switzerland, none of which were as well-preserved as the Kyburg gauntlet.

This gauntlet is a four-fold finger glove for the right hand, with iron plates arranged in a scale-like fashion and connected by side rivets. The intricate craftsmanship is evident in the way the metal components were riveted onto a leather or textile base, which was then sewn onto a textile finger glove.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsHistory & Archaeology

Disastrous Historical Hitches: 8 Worst Royal Wedding Nights in History

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 08:40

Your wedding is meant to be one of the most special nights of your life. And your wedding night, well, that should be one of the most exciting. Of course, that’s not always the case.

Read moreSection: NewsHistoryFamous People

The Saint Croix Basin, an Irrigation Marvel for a Forgotten Civilization?

Tue, 01/16/2024 - 19:00

In my previous two-part article titled "The Exceptional Cuban Underwater City," I argued that the existence of a city at a depth of over 2,000 feet (609 m) below sea level off the coast of Cuba. 

Read moreSection: NewsAncient PlacesAmericasUnexplained PhenomenaGuest Authors

The Greatest Colossal Statues of Ancient Greece (Video)

Tue, 01/16/2024 - 14:56

Ancient Greece boasts some of the most remarkable colossal statues, with the works of the renowned sculptor Phidias taking center stage.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsAncient PlacesEuropeVideos

9,000-year-old Human Skeletons and Over 100,000 Artifacts Unearthed in Brazil

Tue, 01/16/2024 - 11:58

Surveyors in Brazil were appraising a site identified for the building of a new apartment complex. 

Read moreSection: NewsEvolution & Human Origins

Two Exceptional Greek Temples Uncovered in 2,600-Year-Old City of Poseidonia Paestum

Tue, 01/16/2024 - 08:56

Archaeologists have unearthed two “exceptional” temples in the historic ancient city of Poseidonia Paestum, a settlement in Magna Graecia on the southern coast of Italy. Constructed in the Doric style

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesEurope

Tales of a Two-headed Giant: Are Legends of Patagonia’s Kap Dwa Real?

Mon, 01/15/2024 - 19:00

In the annals of history, tales of giants have permeated diverse cultures, weaving a rich tapestry of myth and legend. 

Read moreSection: NewsUnexplained Phenomena

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