Of One Language: In Search of Our Mother Tongue
Mankind is familiar with the narrative surrounding the construction of the Tower of Babel, passed down through the generations and across multiple cultures. The most well-known version is chapter 11 of the Read More
The Napoleonic Expedition to Egypt: Hasty End of a Powerful Dream – Part II
Even though Napoleon Bonaparte had tasted a series of successes within weeks of setting foot in Egypt, including an important victory against the dreaded Mamluks, his plan to conquer the entire country was thwarted often by an English naval geniu...
The Napoleonic Expedition to Egypt: The Path to Conquest and Glory – Part I
At the end of the 18th century, Great Britain and France were vying to dominate one another by colonizing several territories across the globe. The English were already ahead in this race – but only just. Egypt was a highly-valued land, insofar...
From Sorcerer to Saint: The Arcane Life and Magickal Times of Saint Cyprian
Of all the saints of the Christian church, one of the most anomalous must surely be St Cyprian who, after his martyrdom in the early 4th century AD, became known as the patron saint of sorcerers. Even more curious is the fact that some 1,700 year...
Soldiers for Sale: Mercenaries from Ancient Times to Medieval Times
Mercenaries are soldiers who are paid for their martial services from the pocket of their employer and from the spoils obtained in war. Most mercenaries once fought in professional armies before joining the motley ranks of private forces for hire...
From South to North, Africa is the Continent of Ancient Magic
The word ‘magic’ makes us think of sleight of hand, tricks and illusion, but historically African magic was a way to achieve goals by harnessing the creative powers of nature, which were regarded and revered as supernatural entities. The conc...
In a World Without Technology, How Did a Roman Citizen Identify Himself?
In ancient Rome, ID-cards, passports and other modern forms of identification did not exist. How could a Roman citizen identify himself in a world without pictures, computers or biometrics? Ancient Rome being a slave-owned society, proving who yo...
Hidden in History, Exposed to Modern Epidemics, the Lost Tribe of Ba’Aka Pygmies May Face Extinction
Deep in the rain forests of darkest Africa close to the Equator, in the Central African Republic, the Ba’Aka tribe – formerly known as pygmies - have lived for more than 40,000 years. Elusive, hiding in the jungle as much as they have been hi...
Who were the Colorful, Powerful, Influential, Educated Women of Ancient Islam?
The evolution of ‘higher education’ in the ancient world led to variations of standards in different cultures. In ancient Egypt, higher education originated from copying religious texts for use in temples which led to the development of theol...
The Fate of Fierce Chief Michikinikwa, ‘Little Turtle’ Resistance Fighter
Chief Michikinikwa, who is more popularly known as ‘Chief Little Turtle’ originated from the Miami tribe and was born in 1752, near the Eel River in what is today Union Township in Whitley County Indiana. His father’s name was Turtle and wh...