The ancient Greek and Roman gods are often virtually indistinguishable, but the two neighboring Mediterranean civilizations perceived their respective gods of war, Ares and Mars, very differently.
Mars was a patron deity of Rome and was beloved by its people....
The cult of the ancient Greek goddess Athena gave some women of Athens liberties that extended past the roles of mother and homemaker. The life of Athenian women—like women in most towns throughout Ancient Greece—was largely restricted to the...
The story of how Athens, one of the oldest cities in the world, attained its current name is a foundational Greek myth. Unbeknown to many, the city actually had several names throughout its 3,400 years of recorded history.
The initial...
Diomedes was a distinct Greek hero whose story in Homer’s Iliad is marked by his battle skills, courage, intelligence, and aid from the gods, as well as his association with horses of divine ancestry. However, he is often overshadowed...
The epics of Homer, produced during Greece’s Archaic Period, gave shape and substance to the gods of mythology, helping define the foundations of Ancient Greek religion.
The Iliad and Odyssey, written in the 8th century BC, not only laid the...
You think you know the Parthenon, Greece’s ancient marvel, but do you know it so well as to know that it had a pool inside it?
The iconic image we all have—those sun-drenched, majestic columns standing proudly over Athens—is missing...
Among the heroes of the Trojan War, Diomedes stands out as the Greek warrior who was the only mortal bold enough to confront Ares, the god of war, and wound him. This extraordinary moment, narrated in Iliad Book V,...
The discovery of Troy at Hisarlik in the 19th century by Heinrich Schliemann is still regarded as one of the most striking examples of Greek mythology and archaeology coming together.
However, how do we know that Schliemann really did discover...
When Penelope and Odysseus reunite after twenty long years, the Odyssey concludes as a love story wherein the two protagonists have fought against gods and demons so they may be together once again.
While the main character of the Odyssey is...
Christianity originated as a marginal movement in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, emerging from Jewish apocalyptic traditions in first-century Judea. Early Christians did not seek political power; however, their beliefs soon brought them into direct conflict with...
