Ancient History Encyclopedia

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Constantinople
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Trade in the Byzantine Empire

Trade and commerce were essential components of the success and expansion of the Byzantine Empire. Trade was carried out by ship over vast distances...
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Bent Pyramid
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Bent Pyramid

The Bent Pyramid at Dahshur, built by Sneferu (4th Dynasty), rises at a 55-dgree angle and then shifts to 43 degrees of smaller stones giving it the...

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‎Gustaf Skarsgard as Floki in Iceland
Article

The Legendary Settlement of Iceland

It is said that the early Norse settlers of Iceland in the Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) believed it was the home of the gods because of the tale of the...
Hereward the Wake
Article

William the Conqueror & the Ely Rebellion

By early 1070 CE William I (r. 1066-1087 CE) had almost completed the Norman conquest of England. There remained threats from the border regions with...
The Ancient City of Babylon
Article

Visiting the Ancient City of Babylon

We had a 4-day national holiday. Meaning what? No clinic and no hospital! I said to myself, “It’s been a long time since I have visited...
William the Conqueror on Horseback, Bayeux Tapestry
Article

William the Conqueror's Harrying of the North

By the end of 1066 CE William the Conqueror had won a decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings, subdued the south-east of England and been crowned...
Oseberg Ship Carving
Article

Norse Pets in the Viking Age

Pets were as important to the Norse of the Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) as they were to any other culture, past or present. The Vikings kept dogs and...
Reconstructed Viking Village in Hofn, Iceland
Article

The Vikings in Iceland

The medieval sources on the discovery and settlement of Iceland frequently refer to the explorers as “Vikings” but, technically, they were...
Wooden Kachina Doll
Definition

Kachina Cult

The Kachina (also “Katsina”) cult refers to the specific religious practices centered on the kachina, which is a spiritual entity and divine...
Map of William the Conqueror's 1066 CE Campaigns
Article

William the Conqueror's March on London

William the Conqueror (r. 1066-1087 CE) was victorious at the Battle of Hastings in October 1066 CE, and Harold Godwinson, King Harold II of England...

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