Fatimid Dynasty: Did you mean...?

Daily life in ancient China changed through the centuries but reflected the values of the presence of gods and one's ancestors in almost every time period. Villages like Banpo show evidence of a matriarchal society, where there was a priestly...

The Second Intermediate Period (c. 1782 - c.1570 BCE) is the era following the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2040-1782 BCE) and preceding the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE). As with all historical designations of the eras of Egyptian history, the...

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) marked the restoration of native Han Chinese rule after the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Founded by the Hongwu Emperor (Zhu Yuanzhang, reign 1368-1398), the Ming state reasserted centralized...

Religious practices in ancient China go back over 7,000 years. Long before the philosophical and spiritual teachings of Confucius and Lao-Tzu developed or before the teachings of the Buddha came to China, the people worshipped personifications...

The Ptolemaic Dynasty (305–30 BCE) ruled Egypt during the Hellenistic age, emerging from the fragmentation of Alexander the Great’s empire after his death in 323 BCE. Founded by Ptolemy I Soter (reign 305–282 BCE), one of Alexander’s generals...

Sima Qian (l. 145/135-86 BCE) was a court scribe, astrologer, and historian of the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE) of ancient China, famous for his historical work Records of the Grand Historian for which he is remembered as the Father of...

A depiction of the evolution of the first imperial dynasty of ancient Rome, the Julio-Claudians that began with Augustus (Julius Caesar's adopted son) and included the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. During their time, Rome...

The provinces of the Tang Dynasty c. 742 CE. The Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) is regularly cited as the greatest imperial dynasty in ancient Chinese history. It was a golden age of reform and cultural advancement, which lay the groundwork for...

The civil service examinations of Imperial China allowed the state to find the best candidates to staff the vast bureaucracy that governed China from the Han Dynasty onwards (206 BCE - 220 CE). The exams were a means for a young male of any...

The Kuru dynasty of Hastinapur, as portrayed in the Mahabharata, represents a legendary royal lineage whose internal divisions drive one of the most influential narratives in South Asian literary and cultural history. Centered on succession...