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The peoples of the Mongol Empire (1206-1368 CE) were nomadic, and they relied on hunting wild game as a valuable source of protein. The Asian steppe is a desolate, windy, and often bitterly cold environment, but for those Mongols with sufficient...

The Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China in 130 BCE, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce between 130 BCE-1453 CE. The Silk Road was not a single route...

The widespread use of paper and printing were features of ancient China which distinguished it from other ancient cultures. Traditionally, paper was invented in the early 2nd century CE, but there is evidence it was much earlier. As a cheaper...

The Mongol Empire (1206-1368) was founded by Genghis Khan (r. 1206-1227), first Great Khan or 'universal ruler' of the Mongol peoples. Genghis forged the empire by uniting nomadic tribes of the Asian steppe and creating a devastatingly effective...

San Marco Altarpiece, painting by Fra Angelico, photograph by Louis-Garden, Florence, 13 February, 2012. Between the years of 1438-1442 CE, Fra Angelico created The San Marco Altarpiece. As the name suggests, it was originally intended for...

The Mongol Empire accepted and promoted many other cultures. Historians often talk about cultural exchange across Asia in the Mongol Empire as something that was just facilitated by peace and stability across such a huge area – the 'Pax Mongolica'...

The Chagatai Khanate (also Chaghatai, Jagatai, Chaghatay or Ca'adai, c. 1227-1363 CE) was that part of the Mongol Empire (1206-1368 CE) which covered what is today mostly Uzbekistan, southern Kazakhstan, and western Tajikistan. The khanate...

Ancient peoples were as curious as ourselves about the wider world and even if the transport at their disposal meant travel could be long, arduous and dangerous, they still managed to get about and visit different cities, sacred sites and...

View of the four-colonnaded atrium of the Villa San Marco in Stabiae, Italy (1st century BCE). The tetrastyle atrium was entered through a small colonnaded and frescoed portico furnished with masonry seats for waiting visitors. Looking across...

Covering an area of 11,000 sq metres (118,000 sq. feet), the Villa San Marco at Stabiae (modern Castelammare di Stabia) is among the largest Roman residential villas in the Vesuvian area (southern Italy). It was built in the 1st century BCE...