Twins: Did you mean...?

The Popol Vuh recounts the story of twins who journeyed to Xibalba. For the Maya, their round of adventures serves as a metaphor for timeless, repeating cycles and for the...

Joshua J. Mark goes looking for adventure while visiting the Maya site of Chichen Itza in Mexico and finds sprites, spirits and iguanas amongst the ruins. He tells of his journey to this magical ancient site that...

The siege of Sevastopol (Oct 41 to Jul 42) was an attack by Axis forces on the base of the USSR's Black Sea Fleet during Operation Barbarossa of the Second World War (1939-45). Sevastopol (aka Sebastopol) had one of...

The legions of Spain, Roman Africa, and Egypt did not see the intensity of action that prevailed elsewhere in Europe. However, the presence of these four legions - VII Gemina, IX Hispana, XXII Deiotariana, and...

Carsulae in Umbria, central Italy, was founded c. 300 BCE and only became a prosperous urban centre after it was connected by the Via Flaminia towards the end of the 3rd century BCE. It was granted the status...

Native American creation and origin stories are tales of the creation of the world and the origin of various aspects of it, including plant and animal life – especially corn and buffalo – and death. Some Native...

A replica of an architectural decoration from the Mayan ballcourt of Copan. It represents the god Seven Macaw (Vucub-Caquix) who was killed by the Hero Twins in Book II of the Popol Vuh. (Museum of Mayan Sculpture, Copan...

This gilded silver Sasanian plate features an unusual scene that borrows from Graeco-Roman prototypes and possibly Iranian ones as well. Two youths stand on platforms facing one another, each holding a staff and...

The three remaining Corinthian columns of the Temple of Castor & Pollux in the Roman Forum, Rome. The present temple dates from the end of the 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE but replaced a temple also dedicated...

A red-figure vase possibly depicting Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri), the hero twins of Greek mythology. 420-400 BCE, Lucanian. (Museo Provinciale Archeologico 'S. Castromediano,' Lecce, Italy)