Middle east: Did you mean...?

In the 13th century, astonishing quantities of spices and silk passed from the Far East to Europe. Exact amounts are not known, but spice popularity in both cuisine and medicine reached its historical peak during the Middle Ages in Europe...

Reasons why such low estimates for life expectancy during the MIddle Ages are often tossed around. From infant mortality skewing the stats, to the risks of childbirth and disease.

Freya Stark (l. 1893-1993) was an English explorer, writer, and political influencer who chronicled world events, especially in the Near East, throughout the 20th century. Stark both reported on and made the news as her travels, described...

Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East by Amanda H. Podany is a unique history of the ancient Near East that compellingly presents the life stories of kings, priestesses, merchants, bricklayers, and others. Rather...

A map of the Middle East showing the Crusader-held Latin East states at the time of the Third Crusade (1189-1192 CE).

View of the east side of the ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil with the southeastern stairway which provided access to the first terrace. Chogha Zanbil is a magnificent, 3300-year-old ancient Elamite complex located 30 kilometres south-east of the...

The Crusader States (aka the Latin East or Outremer) were created after the First Crusade (1095-1102) in order to keep hold of the territorial gains made by Christian armies in the Middle East. The four small states were the Kingdom of Jerusalem...

Eleanor of Aquitaine was an impressive and powerful woman during the High Middle Ages. Not only did she own the land of Aquitaine, a large chunk of southwestern France at the time, but during her life she was the Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen...

Map of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East c. 1300 BCE, showing the period of Great Powers, with the six large kingdoms and empires (the Hittites, the Mycenaean Civilization, Assyria, Babylonia, Elam and the New Kingdom of Egypt) co-existing...

In Part 3 of this series on ancient Elam, we continue our study of Elamite history by taking a look at the Middle Elamite Period. Though fascinating, it's also a period that's shrouded in mystery. Still, we know by some of the monuments...