The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus – A New Kind of Ancient Tomb?

It’s a little smaller than the pyramids at Giza, granted. But, as far as ancient tombs go, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus takes a back seat to no other monument. In fact, one might even concede that the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus brought its occupant more fame than any pyramid. It is, after all, Mausolus’s name that […]

Byzantine Discoveries – What They Found First, and Who Took the Glory

The process of discovering new knowledge is tricky. But we try to give credit where it’s deserved. Or do we? A few examples of Byzantine discoveries suggest this question is more complex than meets the eye. (Recall that the Byzantine Empire was the successor of the Roman Empire in the east. We could also call […]

Reviewing Etched in Starlight, by Rosie Chapel

Etched in Starlight is a novel featuring the converging historical paths of two people of the first century CE. One is a Roman legionnaire, Maxentius, the other a Jewish physician named Hannah. Their fates collide in 66 CE when Jewish rebels attack the Roman fortress of Masada to challenge Rome’s occupation of Judea. Maxentius is […]

Review of Antonius, Son of Rome, by Brook Allen

The book Antonius, Son of Rome is a historical fiction novel by Brook Allen. It’s the first book of a trilogy about Marc Antony, or Marcus Antonius. The date of publication is 2018. To read my other recent book reviews, please check out: Dying of Whiteness, by Jonathan Metzl Opium and Absinthe, by Lydia Kang […]

Is the Byzantine Empire Underrated or Just Ignored?

I get the question all the time: Was the Byzantine Empire underrated? Have you ever even heard of the Byzantine Empire? If you’re a regular follower of my blog, possibly not. If you got to this post from an Internet search, perhaps you have. Either way, most people know little about the great empire that […]