Ancient Greece

Lamia, one of the lesser-known demons in Greek mythology, is a bit of a shapeshifter, known as a man-eating monster.

The Ancient Greek settlement area of Tenea was discovered for the first time during recent excavations, the Greek Ministry of Culture reported on Friday. Tenea was an ancient Greek town near Corinth, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Athens. Archaeologists discovered...

New DNA analysis of ancient Minoan genomes show that the choice of marriage partners was determined by one's own kinship. First cousin marriages were not unusual to the Minoans of the Bronze Age. A team of scientists from the Max...

Believed to possess magical qualities, ancient amulets were once widely used. They range from amber pendants worn during Denmark’s Mesolithic age to evil eyes in ancient Greece. By Marguerite Johnson Throughout antiquity, from the Mediterranean to Egypt and today’s Middle East,...

The ancient Greeks had different ways of thinking about narrative and truth than we do today. By Joel Christensen In an age of deepfakes and alternative facts, it can be tricky getting at the truth. But persuading others—or even yourself—of what...

The Roman gladiatorial games were a far cry from the Olympic and theatrical pursuits enjoyed in ancient Greece, but the Greeks played an important role in preparing gladiators for their violent contests. After their incorporation into the Roman Empire, the...

Witches have had a long and elaborate history, even back to ancient Greece. Thanks to Homer and his epic adventure tale the Odyssey, we met Circe, who has often been identified as the first witch in Greek mythology. Circe was...

The Behrakis Wing at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) established by the generous donation of George Behrakis houses exquisite antiquities that would make the visitor fall in love with Greece. It all started in 2009 when Greek-American philanthropist...

Celebrating the arrival of the New Year is a popular custom around the world, as it has been for thousands of years. We find the same basic celebration—although expressed in different ways—in various ancient cultures. In Greece itself, there is...

The ancient world of Greece and Rome has long permeated America, in everything from museum collections to home furnishings. The design of the nation’s public monuments, buildings and universities, as well as its legal system and form of government,...