Search Results: British Empire

Persia (roughly modern-day Iran) is among the oldest inhabited regions in the world. Archaeological sites in the country have established human habitation dating back 100,000 years to the Paleolithic Age with semi-permanent settlements (most...

The Aztec empire flourished between c. 1345 and 1521 CE and dominated ancient Mesoamerica. This young and warlike nation was highly successful in spreading its reach and gaining fabulous wealth, but then all too quickly came the strange visitors...

The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross of the British Crown Jewels. The sceptre was made in 1661 CE and the large stone is the Cullinan I diamond, added in 1911 CE. The diamond weighs 530 carats and is also known as the Star of Africa. The British...

A late-19th century painting showing British soldiers executing prisoners by tying them to a cannon and firing the weapon. This type of execution was not uncommon, particularly after the Sepoy Mutiny in India (1857-8)

Trade and commerce were essential components of the success and expansion of the Byzantine Empire. Trade was carried out by ship over vast distances, although for safety, most sailing vessels were restricted to the better weather conditions...

This is the latest datable clay tablet in the British Museum. It gives the monthly positions of the planets in the zodiac signs and the dates of their characteristic phenomena. Dates of solstices, equinoxes, and eclipses are also given. The...

A photograph showing British commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade attacking Sword Beach on D-Day 6 June 1944. The brigade was led by Lord Lovat (seen in the photo on the right of the column wading in the sea). (Imperial War Museums)

A portrait of the Greek philosopher Antisthenes (c. 450-370 BCE), founder of the Cynic school of philosophy. Roman copy of a lost Greek original c. 300 BCE. (British Museum, London)

Dionysos, god of wine, can be seen holding a bunch of grapes and crowned with a vine wreath. The statue stands 1.75 metres tall, is made of marble, and dates to the 2nd century CE. It is likely to be a Roman copy of a Greek original dating...

Socrates (469-399 BCE) was the intellectual father of Greek philosophy. His self-denying pursuit of true knowledge brought him into conflict with the piety laws of his native Athens, where his eventual prosecution led to enforced suicide...