Middle Ages: Did you mean...?

Pepper has long been the king of spices and for almost 2,000 years dominated world trade. Originating in India, it was known in Greece by the 4th century BCE and was an integral part of the Roman diet by 30 BCE. It remained a force in Europe...

Olaudah Equiano (l. c. 1745-1797, also known as Gustavus Vassa) was an African of the Igbo village of Essaka, of the Kingdom of Benin (modern Nigeria), who was enslaved around the age of ten, bought his freedom around the age of 20, and became...

Dogs have been a constant of the human condition for thousands of years. Footprints of a young child and canine dated to 26,000 years ago have been found in the Chauvet Cave in France, showing them walking side by side, and, long before then...

People have been keeping animals as pets since at least the beginning of recorded history and the relationship between humans and their non-human friends seems to have remained more or less the same through the centuries. Dogs, in particular...

Crowns have been used for millennia as a symbol of power, rank, and distinction, both for rulers and religious leaders. In this gallery of images, we take a look at some fabulous, unusual, and even slightly odd crowns that were worn in cultures...

This collection explores the evolution of arms and armour around the world, from ancient times to the early modern period. Although it is by no means a complete list of the varied gear carried into warfare throughout history, it takes a look...

Wild cats were most likely domesticated in Mesopotamia c. 12,000 BCE, but, like the dog, there is no scholarly consensus on where or when domestication first took place. All that is certain is that cats and humans have a long history together...

In this gallery, we showcase 40 precious items that illustrate the love of valuable shiny things that can sparkle up our daily lives is far from being a modern phenomenon. Gold has always been valued for its gleam and incorruptibility, while...

Medieval trades were essential to the daily welfare of the community and those who learned a skill through apprenticeship could make a higher and more regular income than farmers or soldiers. Professionals like millers, blacksmiths, masons...

John Green teaches you about the so-called Dark Ages, which it turns out weren't as uniformly dark as you may have been led to believe. While Europe was indeed having some issues, many other parts of the world were thriving and relatively...