Ancient Greek scientist Erasistratus (300-250 B.C.) is credited with being among the first human lie detectors. He devised a specific technique to read a person’s physical response so as to spot when an individual was lying.
While in Alexandria, Egypt,...
Few figures in late antiquity present as compelling a historical debate as Julian the Apostate’s attempt to restore the Greek gods in opposition to Christianity in the Roman Empire.
During his brief but highly consequential reign in the fourth century...
Most of us assume that looking after our teeth is a modern habit shaped by supermarket shelves, mint-flavored ads, and childhood dentist scares, but a surviving Ancient Greek toothpaste recipe suggests otherwise.
Sitting quietly in the Austrian National Library in...
You must admire the audacity of some early Greek philosophers, like Anaximenes, because their attitude challenged the foundations of how we see and interpret the world. Forget complex equations or subatomic particles—Anaximenes, a man from the bustling ancient Greek...
Greek is one of the oldest recorded living languages of the world, with a truly rich history that spans over 3,000 years.
While Ancient Greek and Modern Greek represent very different stages of the development of this fascinating language, they...
In English, the impressive monuments built by the ancient Egyptians at Giza are called 'pyramids'. Where does this word come from? What does it mean in ancient Greek, and what does this reveal about the pyramids themselves? Furthermore, what...
Hellanicus of Lesbos was born around 480 BC on the Greek island of Lesbos. He was one of the earliest and most prolific Greek logographers of the 5th century BC, paving the way for some of the great writers...
The Greek language is undeniably quite rich. Through Greek, everyone can express many meanings with the same word. For instance, "Philippos" in ancient Greek means the one who is fond of horses, while the word Alexander, when analyzed, means...
It’s easy to get caught up in quarks and bosons these days, but picture a time long before labs and particle accelerators, when the ancient Greeks were trying to use the four main elements, wrestling with the same monster...
Many people know the fundamentals of Roman law, which became the foundation of most modern-day legal systems across the world. However, not many people are familiar with the fact that the core elements of Roman law can be directly...
