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Definition
Cilicia
Cilicia is the ancient Roman name for the southeastern region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It is referenced in the biblical books of Acts and...
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The Hellenistic Prince (Detail)
The head of the 2nd century BCE bronze statue known as 'The Hellenistic Prince'. The statue perhaps represents Attalus II, king of Pergamon. The head...
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Article
Eusebius on Christianity
Eusebius Pamphili (aka Eusebius of Caesarea, 260-340 CE) was a Christian historian, exegete, and polemicist. He became the bishop of Caesarea Maritima...
Definition
Melusine
Melusine (pronounced Mel-ew-seen, also given as Melusina) is a legendary figure from European folklore depicted as a mermaid, sometimes with two tales...
Article
The Early History of Clove, Nutmeg, & Mace
The spices clove, nutmeg, and mace originated on only a handful of tiny islands in the Indonesian archipelago but came to have a dramatic, far-reaching...
Article
Legions of Moesia
The province of Moesia was vital to the Roman military’s protection of the Balkans. Subdued by the Roman commander Marcus Licinius Crassus in 29 BCE...
Definition
Golden Age of Piracy
The Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730) refers to a period when robbery on the high seas and at colonial ports reached an unprecedented level. Although...
Definition
Flavius Josephus
Titus Flavius Josephus (36-100 CE), was born Yosef ben Matityahu and became a 1st-century CE Jewish historian. He was a member of a priestly household...
Definition
Kikimora
Kikimora (pronounced Kih-kee-mora) is a female house spirit from Slavic lore who can be helpful or malevolent depending on the behavior of the homeowner...
Article
Josephus on Christianity
Titus Flavius Josephus (36-100 CE), the Jewish historian, is the main source for understanding Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE. In the last...
Image Gallery
Fayum Mummy Portraits
The Fayum mummy portraits were lifelike images painted on thin wooden panels and placed directly over the mummy in Roman Egypt. The vast majority of...
Definition
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is a witch from Slavic folklore who lives in a magical hut in the forest and either helps, imprisons, or eats those she encounters. She is...
Article
Pirate Punishments in the Golden Age of Piracy
Pirates in the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730) both dished out and received a wide range of imaginative punishments. Victims of piracy endured torture...
Definition
Orisha
Orisha (also given as Orisa and Orishas) are supernatural entities usually referred to as deities in the Yoruba religion of West Africa, though they...