Search
Search Results

Article
Boran & Azarmiduxt: Queens of the Sassanian Empire
Boran (r. 630, 631-632) and Azarmiduxt (r. 630-631) were the only queens of the Sassanian Empire who ruled with the power of absolute monarchs. Daughters of Shahanshah (king of kings) Khosrow II (r. 590-628), Boran and Azarmiduxt, tried to...

Definition
Mesopotamian Art and Architecture
Ancient Mesopotamian art and architectural works are among the oldest in the world, dating back over 7,000 years. The works first appear in northern Mesopotamia prior to the Ubaid Period (c. 5000-4100 BCE) and then developed in the south...

Definition
Tukulti-Ninurta I
Tukulti-Ninurta I (reigned 1244-1208 BCE) was a king of the Assyrian Empire during the period known as the Middle Empire. He was the son of Shalmaneser I (reigned 1274-1245 BCE) who had completed the work of his father, Adad Nirari I, in...

Image
Babylonian Lion
A pacing, roaring lion, once part of King Nebuchadnezzar II’s throne room in his palace in the ancient city of Babylon. These roaring lions emphasized the power and might of the Babylonian king. Babylon, Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Neo-Babylonian...

Definition
Wolof Empire
The Wolof (aka Jolof or Djolof) Empire was a state on the coast of West Africa, located between the Senegal and Gambia rivers, which thrived from the mid-14th to mid-16th century CE. The empire prospered on trade thanks to the two rivers...

Image
The Babylonian King Nabonidus
This is a detail of a Babylonian basalt stele. Here the figure of the king, Nabonidus was carved in relief on the obverse side of the stele. The king stands and wears a conical headdress as well as a long fringed garment. The right hand is...

Definition
Khmer Empire
The Khmer empire was a powerful state in South East Asia, formed by people of the same name, lasting from 802 CE to 1431 CE. At its peak, the empire covered much of what today is Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. By the 7th...

Definition
Ancient Persian Government
The government of ancient Persia was based on an efficient bureaucracy which combined the centralization of power with the decentralization of administration. The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BCE) founded by Cyrus the Great (r. c. 550-530...

Image
Assyrian Relief Showing Babylonian Prisoners
Assyrian alabaster panel showing Babylonian prisoners in a camp, from the North Palace at Nineveh, Northern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Neo-Assyrian Empire, reign of Ashurbanipal II, 668-630 BCE. To the left, an Assyrian soldier stands...

Image
Bronze Figurine with Babylonian Cuneiform Inscription from Western Iran
Bronze figurine with Babylonian cuneiform inscription found in Luristan Province, c. 1000-900 BCE (Iron Age II), National Museum of Iran, Tehran, inv. no. 1408. Photo by Neda Tehrani (Baloot Noghrei) The cultural influence of Mesopotamia...